Covetousness 2: Discoveries
by YashaLuva
Summary: Meet Taji No Taisho. First daughter of InuYasha No Taisho. When a strange young boy enters her class, her life takes an unexpected turn, possibly for the worst.
1. Default Chapter

Prologue

A young hanyou ran out into the open back yard with a smile plastered on her face as she watched her mother and father cuddle into the afternoon sun. Standing still as a blur of blue and green whizzed past her, she sneered and closed her eyes, using her senses to guide her. "I know your there." She called. She felt a rush of wind, could tell that they were using the trees as a way of trying to confuse her. Straightening her bright yellow mini sundress and tugging up her jeans that she wore underneath slightly, she yawned with irritation as her ears turned this way and that at the sound of a cracking twig.

The wind blew lightly as slight chuckles and pants were heard from all sides. She turned on her heel at the slightest sound, or shift in the direction of her older brother's scents. A lesson taught to her by her father, sometimes the best way to corner an enemy, is to let them believe that your back is to them. The only problem with that strategy, was that her brother's were taught the same thing. Scanning the area quickly with her keen vision, she took a deep breath as she stood still---stone still in the middle of the clearing.

Whether she was more annoyed by the fact that she just wanted to go for a simple dip in the pond and they wouldn't let her, or the fact that they were doing it on purpose so that she couldn't get to the pond she wasn't sure, be she was a little irritated right now, and she didn't have time to play their games right now. Checking her watch on her left wrist, she flipped her long silver hair back over her shoulder and placed her hands on her hips, leaning most of her weight to the left.

Her brothers were always trying to trick her this way, ever since they were younger. At 14 years old, she had grown accustomed to this little game, and she knew all of their tricks--- or so she thought. Gasping as one of her brother's ran up behind her, she turned to face him, when she was caught in a headlock from behind. "You cheated!" She shrieked as she sunk her teeth into the soft flesh. Grinning idiotically as he released his sister, the young hanyou lapped at the blood running down his arm as his brother landed beside him.

"You can't always win." The other simply said as she gave them a pointed glare and placed her hands on her hips. A spitting image of her mother with the blended genes of her father's temper, she was something that all med would grow to fear---at least those she wasn't related to. Long silver hair ran down her back, soft ears at the top of her head, and bright yellow eyes that stood out like the sun itself. Staring at her brothers, she sighed and turned on her heels and stomped away.

The twins smiled and looked at each other before slapping a high five. They had never grown tired of teasing their little sister every chance they got, and it was just something they would never stop laughing over. Looking at his brother's wound, the one in the green's smile widened. "Well, it seems you went overboard again Aka." 'Aka' grinned.

"Feh! Brat deserved that anyway." He said simply as he fixed his blue polo shirt. Inuakamori No Taisho was the first conceived of the two, only by two minutes, but that doesn't mean he was more mature than his brother. His view of life was have fun before you get old, and he planned to do just that before he turned old and bitter like his Uncle. However, his cousin was nothing like that, but that didn't stop him from causing mischief. A spitting image of his father, just like his brother, they weren't surprised when he decided to follow in the footsteps of him.

Inukuromori No Taisho, however, was just like his brother when it came to having fun. But the only difference, he felt that there was a time to be serious, and a time to have fun. He was very organized, and sometimes outspoken by his brother, but when that was to happen, and it usually did, by the time the day was over, everyone knew he was there. Basically dragged into the influence of his 'older' brother, he was usually the first to take the blame for something that was usually the result of hours of yelling, and in a few cases, even tweaked.

Another way he was unlike his twin brother, he'd rather torment his sister's frequent brother, than beat them up like Inuakamori loved doing. When it was necessary, it was done, but usually, by the time their father was finished, they weren't needed. Kuro opened his mouth to say something, when his mother's angry voice rang into his head.

"Inuakamori No Taisho! Inukuromori No Taisho! Over here, now!" They shuddered. Their mother only used their full names when they were in trouble. They were only having fun. Flattening their ears as they immediately went to her, she was tapping her foot impatiently as her husband and daughter sat behind her. "What did I tell you about teasing your sister?"

"We were just having fun." Inukuromori answered. She sighed.

"Kuro, Aka, you have to be careful." She said as she reached over and rubbed each one's ear's softly. "Your sister doesn't like roughhousing." Behind them, she sneered and stuck her tongue out at them mockingly. "How about you play with your father?"

The twins looked at each other and smiled. InuYasha, however, wasn't. "What?" Kagome sighed and turned around.

"Oh come on, you never play with them anyway. Get to know them." InuYasha grumbled as he stood up and walked away.

"Don't yell at me when they are covered in bruises."

Kagome snorted as she sat down next to her daughter. "You know better." She twins chuckled as they followed their father into another clearing. Handing her daughter another bottle of water, she watched as her eyes filled with tears.

"It's not fair mom!" She wailed. "I can't even get a date without daddy and the stupid twins scaring them away." Kagome smiled inwardly.

"Well, they love you. They just don't want you to get hurt." The girl frown deepened.

"It's still not fair." She mumbled. Kagome laughed softly. Cringing as a tree fell in the distance, followed by loud laughter from InuYasha, she bared her fangs in irritation.

"I'm going to end up killing him. . . ." She mumbled as she fished for the box of cookies in the basket. Giggling as she handed them to her mother from next to her, Taji No Taisho smiled as her mother sighed in relief.

Looking like her mother so much it scared InuYasha when she opened her eyes for the first time, she had a temper to match, so much that the sound of her yelling at her brother's caused InuYasha to whimper and grimace at some points. Big, bright amber eyes with long curly silver hair, her ears perky and pointy, she had the grace and intelligence of her mother, but was cursed with the pride of her father. Too stubborn to admit when she was happy her brother's brutally punished a young boy of looking at her too hard, or when they could smell that he wasn't 'thinking' about her the way they wanted him to, Kagome couldn't help but smile at how close they were, yet how stubborn they were to admit it.

Laying back on the red and white checker blanket, she closed her eyes softly as she relaxed. Why her family decided to do this, she would never know, but she had to go to the mall with her best friend, Taura. She opened her eyes and sniffed the air, reassuring her that her mother was still there.

"Mom, how is Sango and Miroku doing?" Kagome smiled.

"Oh, they are just find. Kazuyu should be graduating soon. I wonder what he wants to do . . ." Kagome flicked her ears as InuYasha appeared into the clearing with a accomplished smile on her face. Taji sat up as soon as her brother's came into view.

"So, I guess dad beat, as always." The twins growled and hopped into trees just above the resting area with a scowl. Kagome giggled.

"Don't worry you guys. Just wait about ten more years. Your father'll be very sorry. You see." InuYasha retorted to that, and Kagome simply ignored it as Taji crawled over to her father.

"Dad, can I go out this weekend."

InuYasha stared at her through the corner of his eye. "With who?"

"Kazuyu's friend from school. He's a really nice guy and---"

"No."

"Please? I mean he's even human!"

"I don't care. No."

"Dad!"

InuYasha grinned. "On second thought---"

"Oh thank you daddy." Kagome dropped her water bottle as she reached over and felt InuYasha's head.

"He's lost it." She mumbled.

"You can go out with him. On one condition. Your brothers go with." Taji looked like she could have ripped her own head off. The twins laughed evilly in the trees above. Looking up at they twitched their ears and toyed with the charms hanging around their neck, trying to look innocent, all she could do was sigh and lay back down. What did she do to deserve this?

Closing her eyes, she snorted and tried to fall asleep. Why she wanted to fall asleep, she would never know. But she just knew it wasn't working. Sitting back up, she grabbed a bottle of water, stood up, and slowly trekked away from the family. Knowing her way through the huge backyard wasn't that hard, and pretty soon she found her destination.

About 16 yards away from her, was a large pond. The sun shined down on it, making the blue water shine with pride and the fish under seem like they were all rainbows. Birds chirped in the distance, singing their song of welcome to her as she peeled off her clothes and sat them on a nearby rock. Walking to the edge of the pond, she closed her eyes and flattened her ears before she dived in, feeling the rush of cold water break down her senses. Her father always said that he did this when he was young. Enjoying it as a way to relax, she resurfaced, gasping for breath, and floated on top of the water. _This. . .is the life. _

"Well hello. . ." Taji screamed and sat up. Staring at a pair of amber eyes and long silver hair pulled into a ponytail, she gasped as something dawned on her that kept her speechless. _He. . .He's youkai. . . Inu youkai. . . _

The young youkai stared at her with shock as his cheeks reddened and he immediately turned to be pinned down by the glare of two very older brothers and a pissed off father.

"What the hell do you think you's looking at," InuYasha snarled. "Sucka?"

"Your daughter, what else?"

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_A lady about her mid thirties smiled as she kissed her husband and son goodbye. Walking out of the door, she walked to the corner, and sighed as she looked at the large clock across the street. It was already dusk, and she needed to get her day's walk, as well as dinner done before her husband came home. Wincing inwardly, she kept walking down the street. _

_Once she finally arrived at the supermarket, she walked inside, feeling the air conditioner making her skin grow goosebumps. She shivered and began walking towards the diary section. Picking up a basket, she placed a quart of milk inside, and picked up some eggs and cheese. Walking into the next isle, she picked up some snack food for her son when he returned from school. She reached for some candy, when her cell phone began ringing. Sighing, she placed the basket down and answered it. "Yuki Kitohoshi." She answered casually as she picked up the basket, holding the cell phone with her free hand. _

_"Yuki. . ." A voice asked. "Where are you?" _

_She rolled her eyes. "At the supermarket. Why?" _

_"I left work early to spend time with you, and you go shopping. Come home." She winced. She could tell he was drunk, which would equal to Sora ending up at his grandmother's house, once more. She held back rising tears. _

_"I'm sorry, but he was hungry, and I didn't want him to go to sleep without anything to eat." _

_"He did it yesterday." _

_"And the three days before that. He needs to eat something honey." _

_"I'm sending him to the hags house. He'll come home by himself tomorrow."_

_"But---"_

_"He knows what to do. He can catch the bus. He'll be fine." She reluctantly agreed, and hung up. _

_Once she finished shopping, and she opened the door to her home, she dropped the keys onto the table and went into the basement. The door to the basement shut by itself, and all the lights went out. She opened her mouth to scream, when she felt a white hot burn in the middle of her back. The man over her laughed as she crumpled to the floor, blood gushing out of her back as he licked the blade of the weapon. _

_"Serves you right . . ." He muttered before he left her to die._

Sora Kitohoshi walked through the streets of Tokyo in silence as he stuck his hands in his pocket. He really didn't want to go back home right now, but if he father or anybody called, he might have to.

It had been ten years since his mother had been murdered. Ten years since the abuse his mother suffered was focused onto him. And he had been taking care of his self for eleven years, seeing as his father never cared anyway. When she died, they simply moved to another place, and he was forbidden to say anything about the murder, or her. He simply agreed, to youngand too weak to stand up to his father.

Icy blue eyes glazed with sadness, he ignored the stares from women as he walked without a particular destination. He wanted to talk to somebody, anybody, and hehad noidea just who that person is. He had just moved to Tokyo, would be starting school tomorrow, and already he had a problem with the way things are done here.

He has his own apartment. He doesn't have a problem with that. The problem is that his father can walk in anything he wants to, and told the landlord to forbid him to change the lock. He had been put on a leash, like a vile beast, and wasn't able to do anything without his father's consent, until now. Turning the corner, he sighed as he looked at rows of pretty houses that went up and down hills. Turning back around the corner, he nearly bumped into a tall, strong chested man and fell to the ground. "Oh,I'm sorry." He muttered.

The man chuckled and helped him up. "It's alright. Say, I haven't seen you around these parts before."

"I just moved here 6 hours ago." Sora said simply. Theteenager held out his hand, and beamed when Sora shook it.

"Oh, hello then. I'm Shippou No Taisho. Are you lost? You look a bit shaken up." Sora weakly shook his head, constantly looking over his shoulder and fidgetting. Shippou frowned. "Anything wrong?"

"I. . . Just have to get away from my father. That's all." Shippou's frown deepened as Sora walked around him rather quickly. Tossing his long raven hair over his shoulder and looking behind him, Sora broke out into an all out run, bustling past crowds of people aimlessly as he sought to get father and father away from the dark brown hotel building from hell.

Bending over and placing his hands on his knees, he took deep shallow breaths before he looked up, sweat pouring from his forehead realizing he was in front of a forest type area. He took a step forward, and stopped abruptly as he heard a car pull up beside him . He sighed as his cell phone began ringing, and he reached into his pocket to pick it up. As he did so, the window began rolling down, and a man of a fairly old age, with a wrinkled face and beady eyes stared at him. "Get in." He muttered into the reciever.

Sora slowly crept toward the car. Before he could make any move, the door flew open, an old, wrinkled hand shot out, and he was dragged into the car. The man muttered curses as he closed the door when the car began driving. Looking over the young boy, he scowled and struck him in the face. "What did you think you were doing?"

Sora felt around his inside cheek, to find that he was bleeding. Refraining from answering, he scooted as far away from the man as he could. "Going out for a walk." He muttered weakly. He cried out as he was struck again.

"The same thing your mother said ten years ago. That was the last time I ever saw her. Don't do it again." He said as he hit him one more time. Sora watched through teary eyes as his father lit a cigarette and blew the smoke in his face, knowing Sora hated it.

Sora ignored the apparent taunt and looked out the window. _Liar. . .It's all a lie. . .That's not how she died. . . _

He told him self that for a good part of an hour, but that didn't stop that hurt that was welling up in his chest, making it hard to breath, making his whole body feel like a glass bottle, so fragile and easy to shatter.

He was only five when she was taken away from him. Feeling his body and soul go numb as images of her limpless body laying on the basement floor in a heap with groceries around her, the only thing he could do to keep from killing someone, is think about how he needed to live for her. How she wanted him to grow up into a human being, not the monster his father was. He was taught by his father never to hit women, but frequently watched as he cruelly slapped his mother around, and beat her until she even moved. When he was 12, he was given the 'talk.' He watched as his father made love to his mother, and he could tell it was breaking her heart, but she said nothing, and his only instructions were to watch, and not move.

His father had grown cold ever since she had left, and things had never been the same. There was a day were everything was perfect, he never beat them, never did inhuman things to them, until she cheated. Then, everything went wrong. And when she tried to leave, they went from bad, to all hell. There was nothing he could do, but run in his room as his mother screamed and yelled for his father to stop whatever he was doing to her, whether for his pleasure, or watching her bleed or cry.

As the car stopped, he didn't move until given permission. Once in the house, he locked himself into his room, and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

The studentswere throwing thingsat each other intheTaji'sclass, andher and Taura ducked a book that were coming towards their heads. The teacher had stepped out of the room, which meant all havoc, even though they all knew they would get in big trouble when the teacher came back. But they didn't care. The year was almost over, and they just wanted to have fun.Taji sniffed the air slightly. There was a new scent, one she didn't recognize. Shrugging it off, she began asking Taura about her race for the millionth time. 

Suddenly, the teacher walking inside, using his middle finger to push his glasses back over his nose as a book sailed across the room. His eyes twinkled with anger, and he glared at the culprit. "Class, I have an announcement to make." The pandemonium ceased, and all eyes were focused on him. "There will be a new student today. He has never been to Tokyo before, and I wish for someone to be his guide until he learns his way, by request of his parent. Any volunteers?" The class looked at each other.

Taji sighed at her classes ignorance. "I'll do it sensei-chan." She said exasperated. The class turned and looked at her, but she focused on the teacher. He smiled as the student walked in. Her eyes were glued on him as he walked to the back of the room, and took a seat---next to her. He looked over at her, looked her over, and simply fixed his gaze on the floor.

_Keh! He's rude. . . But cute._ She stopped staring for a while as the teacher began teaching again.

After class, he waited for her after class, standing by the door, and when she walked out, she immediately turned to talk to him. "Hi, I'm Taji No Taisho. Pleased to meet you." He shook her hand nervously.

"I'm. . .Sora. Sora Kitohoshi."

She frowned slightly as she tried to peer at his face. He hadn't looked anybody in the eyes ever since he'd been here, and it was starting to creep her out. "Are you ok?"

He looked at his watch, completely ignoring her question. "Isn't it time for our next class?" She reached for his arm, and he quickly snatched it back and threw them behind him. She stepped back at the sudden movement, but stared at him with curiosity.

"Yeah, follow me. Luckily we have all the same classes." And with that, she turned and led him down the hall.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"Want us to fix him?" Kuro said as Taji placed his sandwich in front of him. She merely shook her head as she went back to look into the fridge, tossing each one of them a bottle of water. Taking one for herself, she picked up her plate and sat down at the head of the table. 

"Always so much violence." She said simply as she picked up her sandwich. Taking a small bite, she wondered why he was so twitchy, always on pins and needles.

"Maybe he isn't right in the head." Aka said. "You said he wouldn't look you in your eyes either."

She shrugged. "I don't know what his problem is, but he sure is weird, and I have to gude him until he learns his way around. At this rate, it's going to take forever." She scowled as Kuro took a bite that looked too big for his mouth. He was barely able to chew it, but he smiled as he swallowed it anyway. "You eat like a pig."

"Correction._ Dog_. I am a dog, so I eat like a dog." Aka grinned as he did the same thing. Taji merely sighed and took a edible bite of her sandwich. She watched as Kuro drunk his water in much the same sloppy manner he wolfed down the sandwich, and she blinked when his plate was pushed in front of her. "Another please."

She looked at him, a retort forming in her mouth, but she snatched the plate anyway and got up to fix him another sandwich. She wondered why Sora didn't act like her brothers. Pigs, and totally disgusting, besides the fact every girl they see are drooling over them like they were movie stars. At times they were fun, and they were open with their feelings, and sociable. The exact opposite of Sora. He wouldn't look anybody in the face, not once, except for his father. After school, he was looking at his father dead in his face as his father stepped out of this huge limo.

She could smell fear radiating off of him like a cologne, and she could just plainly see that something wasn't right about the way he was acting. A slight nod of his father's head, and in a blink, he was in the car, and it was gone. He answered everyone "Yes Ma'am." or "Yes, sir," And when everybody was eating, he sat in the corner by himself with a notebook, and he wrote so quick and so fast Taji couldn't keep focus for very long.

She sighed as she returned with the plate of food for her brother. Once she set it down, he awaited until she sat down before he picked it up, and bit into it like it was moving. Aka shook his head as he looked at his sister. "Why do you care anyway?"

"What?"

"Why do you care about the new kid anyway?"

"I don't." But she did, and she didn't know why.

"He's all you talked about all day. Maybe you like him."

"No! He's shy, and he doesn't talk to anybody, and he just looks at you when you try to be nice to him. . ." She shook her head and snarled at her brother, telling him to leave it alone. He chuckled, held up his hands in a defensive manner and shook his hands. She lowered her head as Shippou walked into the kitchen and picked up Kuro's empty bottle of water, and threw it away.

"Hey kids. How was school?"

"Good." Aka grinned. "Taji's gota crush on a new kid."

"I do not!" Shippou chuckled. He walked out of the kitchen after looking intothe fridge.

Taji sighed and laid her head down. Why did she care so much why he was rude, anti-social, and just all out weird? Why did the way he smelled disgruntle her, the way he would look anywhere but at her want to scream, yet she thought it was so adorable? Why did he make her curiosity spike, and her constantly turning to make sure he was on the right track in work?

Why did she even give a damn what hell his name was? She began getting frustrated. Why was her body reacting without her even knowing? It wasn't fair. He can't just come in and change her life like he's a god or something. But that's what he was doing, and she was just about tired of how everything just began to go out of control on the day she met him.

Sighing as she lifted her head up, she smiled to find another sandwich on a new plate sitting in front of her, with a thank you note from her brothers, as well as asking her to tell her parents that they were out, and would be back before 8. She smiled and laid her head back down. Why did she do things for them anyway? Why was today so full of questions.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"How was school Sora?" 

"It was . . . Ok. The teacher gave me a guide like you asked her to. But the girl she picked. . . She's different."

Sora's father scowled. "Different how?"

"There's just something different about her that just made it hard to concentrate today."

"Well I'll be damned. It seems my useless son is in love."

"Love? I don't think---"

"Did I give you permission to speak?"

"No sir. I'm sorry sir." Sora's father scowled as he looked his son over. Bright blue eyes shining with happiness, and his hair falling over his shoulders, he looked like his mother in more ways than one, that made his father's anger heighten.

Standing up, Sora's father walked up so close to him that Sora could smell the achohol on him. Sora knew better than to move, but he wanted to step back more than ever right now, but he didn't dare flinch. "Go to your room, and finish your homework." Sora didn't have to be told twice. In a flash, he was out of that room and his father heard his door close.

Standing up, he staggered over to his pants pocket and pulled out his wallet. Taking out his I.D, he looked at the picture of him, long blonde hair falling down over his back, green eyes shining with a new hope.

Katana Kitohoshi. The card said. He snorted and shoved the card back into the hold it was in. I don't even know who I am anymore. Ever since that bitch had to die.

He sneered as Sora turned the radio on. He hated music. In fact, he hated everything right now.

Sora was surprised he wasn't getting up off of the floor. He was sure he was going to get stabbed again. He lifted up his shirt and looked into the mirror as the diagonal scar going fron his mid abs to lower stomach. His father had been drunk, it was just 6 months ago. He had come home late one day, and next thing he knew, he was in the hospital, telling the doctors that he had fell and cut himself with the knife. He traced a finger over it and winced.

It still hurt. The doctors said it had to be stitched. After they took the stitches out, he had to walk around with a swollen bulge on his stomach for about 3 weeks, and now, it was still sore, but the doctors said he didn't need to put anything on it, that it'll be fine as long as he showered regularly and made sure it didn't get infected. He sat down on the bed carefully and opened up his book bag. He really didn't feel like doing his homework, so he decided to wake up early tomorrow morning and do it. Laying back, he folded his hands behind his head.

Long silver hair, beautiful honey golden eyes, she literally made him melt into mush when she first smiled at him. Unsure whether she thought of him for a total fool, he had to admit she was beautiful, but he felt there was something she was hiding that meant life and death to her if she dared to tell anybody. He closed his eyes. She didn't wear pounds of perfume like some of the girls did, not a lot of makeup, and she was very nice and considerate.

He didn't mean her being his guide for a month or so. The only thing he minded was the fact that she was popular. He didn't want to be around a lot of people, and the most popular peron in the school decides to be his guide. He has a feeling everything's going to go wrong very quick. But he simply ignores the feeling nagging at him, and rolls over carefully.

She had left with to buff looking boys that almost looked exactly like her, and had the same hair and eyes. They were taller than her, and he could tell that they dared any guy to talk to her since they watched her likehawk. He remembered as she was leaving, she waved to him and her brother's looked at him like they wanted to knock his head off. And he was scared to call, but he decided to anyway, just to hear her voice.

"Taisho Residence. Shippou No Taisho speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hello. This is Sora, Sora Kitohoshi. Is Taji available?"

"Yes, she is. She's right here. Hold on one moment please?" Sora could hear the phone being passed before her melody of a voice drifted into his ears.

"Hello?"

"Hi! This is Sora. Are you busy?"

"Nope. I was just getting ready to call you. I was wondering if you wanted to go to the library with me today, I didn't get all my notes and using a computer in this place is nearly impossible." Sora blushed.

"Um, sure. I'll see you there in about ten minutes or so."

"Ok." They hung up, and Sora threw a fist in the air. Then he pulled it back down, staring at it incredulously.

_Do I like Taji No Taisho? Nah . . . ._

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_First chapter of a new story. Well, here's the dictionary for those who don't understand. _

_**Sora** : Sky _

_**Kitohoshi** : North Star_

_**Taji** : Silver and Yellow Color_

_**Inuakamori** : Dog of the Red Forest_

_**Inukuromori** : Dog of the Black Forest _

_**Katana** : Sword; Blade_

_**Yuki** : Snow ; Luck _

_Well, I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter of Covetousness 2 : Discoveries. I wonder what will happen next, eh? _


	2. Ambiguity

_**Ambiguity**_

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"I don't get this." 

" 'Cause your not trying."

"Yes I am. This is just stupid. "

"Why don't you _try_? That's something new isn't it?"

"Aren't you supposed to be my tutor?"

"Yeah?"

"Then why am I not learning anything?" Taji slammed her book closed and pinned Sora with a glare. It had been a half an hour of him complaining, a half an hour that she simply repeated the same thing over again, a half an hour he got on her very last nerve. Sora immediately looked down and moved the book closer to him. Taji's expression softened as she sighed.

"Ok, let's go over this again . . ." Sora nodded and peeked up at her. Pushing the book towards her, he looked at it as she shown him how to do the problems for the hundredth time. Over in another table, the No Taisho twins growled angrily.

"He's close."

"Too close."

"Don't move." The turned to pin a young girl with a glare. Taura smiled and sat down next to them, cocking her head to the side as she stared at the two.

"What's the problem?"

"Nothing." The grumbled.

She shook her head. "If there is anything I know about you two; that," She pointed to each of their faces, "means trouble. Now what's the matter?"

"I don't like him." Kuro said simply. Taura rolled her eyes and placed her elbows on the table, sitting her chin in the palm of her hands.

"Do you realize you don't like any guy that comes within ten feet or her? Or is it just me?" She ignored the gazes they gave her. "I don't think it's anything like that anyway."

"How would you know?"

"Um, I've been her friend for like, forever. If it was, she would tell me geniouses." She said with a smirk. Taji walked over with her books as Sora gathered his things and walked out. Taura frowned.

"How did it go?"

"Horrible. You'd think someone with a stench like that would have acted better." She wrinkled her nose, ignoring the nagging in the back of her head that told her something was wrong. Aka and Kuro, however, was grinning like total idiots.

"Good. I don't like him anyway." Taji glared at her brother before sighing and standing up.

"Where are you going?"

"Out for a walk." She flattened her ears on her head. "I'll meet you guys back home."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji sighed as she glared at the birds fly freely over her head. It was so unfair. They could just go anywhere they wanted when they wanted, and not worry about anything. What she would give if she could just soar in the sky and look over the earth like the birds . . . 

_Pitiful. Your an inu-hanyou thinking about flying. Dad would throw an ass-gasket if he heard this. _She threw back her head and laughed softly. Walking past a tall brown building, she stopped suddenly and stared at the 13th window. _Sora lives here? And I smell achohol. . .So much achohol. . ._ She sighed and thought about it for a moment. Against her better judgement, she pushed open the glass doors, and began walking up the stairs.

Sighing as she reached the 13th floor, she sniffed her way around until she walked to his apartment. Kitohoshi it read in big bold black letters. Smoke and liqour seeped through the walls, crying and fear radiated all around her, so much that her nose was beginning to go numb and she was staggering as she knocked on the door. Why didn't she noticed the way he smelled wasn't normal?

Gasping as the door opened sharply, a man of young age, but a old face that seen to much than he asked for looked her up and down and scowled. He took a sip of the beer he held in his hand and leaned on the doorway for support. Taji coughed as the fumes from the house came to her in drifts, and she had to step back. "Can I help you?"

"I'm . . . I'm Taji No Taisho. I'm Sora's classmate and guide. I was wondering if he was home? If so I was hoping I could help him with his homework? He didn't understand it at the library." The man's scowled deepened as he screamed for his son in such a way, Taji wondered if it was a good idea to come and see him. Sora immediately came to the door, and as soon as he saw Taji, he shook his head and tears formed in his eyes. Before he even reached the door, his father reached back, grabbed his hair in a big fist, and yanked him in Taji's face.

"Who the hell is this. . ._bitch_!" He yelled. Taji growled.

"Dad. . .She's in my class." He said softly. "She's helping me learn my way around and teaching me the stuff I don't know." His father looked her over again, and she shuddered at the way his old wrinkled eyes raked over her figure. He pushed Sora back in the house, and closed the door so that she could only see his head.

"I don't ever want to see you with my son again. Understand?" Taji watched as he closed the door, and a loud smack was heard. Instantly, she bounded down the stairs, and ran out of the building. She looked back at the window.

Sora's father's hand was lifted, and Sora was covering his head with his arms. She could hear and smell his crying, and she turned away and ran the rest of the way home. _You poor thing. . ._

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

The next day, Sora came to school with a black eye. His excuse, him and his father were playing, and they got a little rough. The doctors said he would be fine. But Taji knew better. She ignored him the whole day, until he came to her while she was eating with Taura, and her cousin, Nyoko. He tapped her on her shoulder. 

"Taji, can we talk?" Taji looked a little shaken, but she agreed and followed him to a nearby tree, where he leaned on it and sighed. "About yesterday . . ."

"I didn't mean to get you in trouble." She said quickly. "But he doesn't have the right to. . ."

"To what!" He said a little loudly. He looked around and quieted down while everyone looked at him and Taji. "To what?" He said softer. "Just . . . I advise you never come there again. Promise me you won't ever come there again."

Taji looked a little pale, but nodded. "Your eye," She ran her finger over it, and snatched it back as he winced and stepped back. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I'll be fine. So I guess I'll see you after school?" Taji wanted to refuse. She really did. But looking into Sora's eyes, she could see the fire dying out in his gaze, that he really wanted her to come. And she was rewarded with his boyish grin as she nodded her head. "Great. See you then." She walked back over to the table, sat down, and put her head down.

"What's up?"

"Nothing. I have to help him after school. I think . . . "

"What?" Nyoko asked as she sipped her juice. "What is it?"

Taji shook her head and plastered on a fake smile. "It's nothing. " She looked at the school as the bell rang. "It's nothing. Let's get to class."

_It's nothing . . . Right? He's fine . . . Isn't he?_

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"Just like yesterday . . . " 

"I know. Your not trying. "

"Do we have to go through this again. "

"We don't if you'd just try. "

Sora picked up his pencil and tried again, just to get it wrong. "See. I tried. I don't get it." Taji giggled and showed him the correct way to do it. He blushed. "Oh. I knew that." She rolled her eyes as he tried again.

They had been meeting everyday for the past two weeks. She had never went to his house again, and he came to school more frequently with bruises that teacher always asked him about. And if they didn't, she knew they was there. And she would try her best to avoid them, but every now and then, she would slip up and point them out. But she usually covered it up pretty well.

She watched as he finished the problem and showed it to her proudly. She squeezed his shoulders and praised him. He packed his things slowly and sighed sadly. "Well, see you Monday."

"Would you like to go to the mall with us tomorrow?"

"I can't . . . I have things to do. Yeah . . Things." He looked away from her.

"Sora, is there something you want to tell me?" Taji made him look at her. He looked scared, frightened. His leg twitched, and he fidgetted and couldn't stare at her in her eyes for a long time. She sighed and looked at her watch. "You should get going. It's getting pretty late. "

He nodded and walked to the door. Looking back, he looked at her for a while before looking away sadly and leaving. She sat back down with a thump. Even though she was part youkai, how could the humans miss what was going on with him? It was practically obvious, and by law, shouldn't they do something about it? She shook her head, packed her things and left.

She didn't have to go home. She had to go to her Uncle's house. Turning the corner where she usually walked straight to go home, she sighed as she looked back, and she caught the gaze of icy blue eyes staring straight at her. He didn't live but a block away from the library, and he raised his hand in a silent greeting. She smiled weakly, and repeated the gesture. Suddenly, he winced, gave her an apologetic look and ran away from the window. She shook her head, and ran the rest of the way.

Why it disturbed her so much, she would never know. Why did she care anyway? She understood what was happening to him, and she wanted to help him. She kept his secret like he asked her to, and yet, he still seemed insecure. They became close friends, closer than she thought that they ever could. He refused to talk to anybody but her. And if she didn't go to school, Taura would tell her he would leave early, and stick around near the school until his limo came and picked him up.

She never understood the actions of him. And she didn't want it to come to adult attention. But she desperately needed help, any help, and her help was the warm smile of her aunt.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

The wind blew softly as the young hanyou stood at the top of a small hill on the beach. Dressed in a white tube top and a beige skirt that flew to the side every time she wind blew, she sighed and twitched her ears a couple of times as she blinked her eyes as a dolphin hopped out of the water. _Hello to you too . . ._ She said with a smile. 

She had been depressed all weekend. Nothing could get her mind off the problem ever since Sora came to school, and it was working her every nerve. She had never went through this in all her life, and look at her now, a living breathing mess. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she wind began blowing again.

The water shimmered beautifully as the sun reflected in it. The water reminded her of Sora's eyes, bright, clear and icy. She just wanted to become one with it. She watched as the dolphins resurfaced again, and she sighed as she toyed with the necklace around her neck.

Given to her buy her mother when she was a young girl, it was a portion of her father's rosary bead necklace when it was finally removed from him. Each of her brother's had some, as well as her parents and Shippou. Each consist of about 6 beads, and a fang. It just came naturally for her to toy with it, and she never understood why, but it sort of made her feel better, knowing that this was the bond that kept her parents from killing each other.

She cracked a smile as memories of their many ' heated discussions' flashed through their mind, and her mother screaming her father was so lucky that she removed the rosary from his neck. InuYasha always apologized and never said anything about the fight after that.

Eyes skimming over the water one more time, she sighed and turned on her heel, and began the decent walk home. She never understood why she always walked out here, but whenever she was troubled, she was always taken out here. Looking over her shoulder as a car whizzed by, she quickly crossed the street, pressing her ears to her skull as loud music drifted to them.

She was almost home. But she didn't want to go there. Where she wanted to go, she was banned from going there. So instead, she went home anyway.

Once she walked into the door, her mother was the first person checking her. "Where were you."

"Beach." She said exasperated.

"Well next time tell somebody."

"Sorry mother." She said simply.

Kagome frowned. "Is there anything wrong?"

Taji opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it back shut. "No . . ." She ignored her mother's gaze, and went into her room.

Her mother was the best person to tell. Instead, she told her aunt. Her aunt told her, to be _nice_ to him, offer him a place to go if he needs to get away. The best thing she could do was to wait for _him_ to come to _her_. But would he do that? Or was it too late for him to get away?

She laid on her bed slowly. Why did everything disturb her all of a sudden?

_Maybe you care about him more than you think._

She snorted. _I wouldn't blame you if I did._

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Whew! With Covetousness ending and everything and with a mixture of it being so hot, I didn't think I would be able to post this part. But I did, and I hoped you all enjoyed it! _


	3. News : Updates

News : Updates

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_**A Brief 'Review'** _

Interesting so far, but a few things really irk me.

1. Inuyasha didn't really seem worried or affected much by Kagome's  
injury till a while after it happened.

2. Inuyasha is way to 'nice' in this story. No snide remarks, no  
'Keh's, no rudeness... It's just wierd.

On top of that, he decides to take to shippo to a spot outside the  
village that his mother used to take him to(even though that's impossible  
because his mother didn't live anywhere near that village) willingly and  
then gets all sensitive and caring with him.

Usually the extent of Inuyasha and Shippo's interactions with eachother  
consists of screaming, chasing and pounding. Not Watching the sunrise,  
cuddling and sleeping in trees. Seriously, that is the most  
un-Inuyasha-like behaviour I can imagine. What took the cake though, was when they  
woke up and Inuyasha 'cooed' something to shippo... WTF, that just  
freaked me out.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_Ok, besides the fact this that made me very and utterly furiuos, here is a note to future readers that I think I should post in every fanfiction for now on. If you find something that completely 'irks' you (which was so clearly stated by this reviewer, and I'm going to have the decency not to state your name.) don't read the story. Noone forces you to read it, as soon as it 'irked' you, or completely made you say 'WTF' , you should have hit the Back button on your taskbar, and found another story. _

_This is my story. I made it the way I wanted to, and nothing is going to stop me from making it the way I want to. I really don't mean to sound mean, and I mean I understand that there will be flames, but the fact that he didn't read another chapter, try to understand the reasons for the change in InuYasha's attitude and overall appearance, makes me want to rip my stories of the internet and go in my room. This is, yes, my first flame, and I have to say this is by far the dumbest reason for someone to critisize my story just because of a simple change of character. Let me make a few things clear for him, if he ever stumbles across this update, (and I hope he does) and I hope that I don't offend him, even though the inner part of me wants to, so I am going to try to do this with God on my mind. _

_1. Kagome was _injured_. People act different when they are 'scared' or frightened. In this case, InuYasha was afraid he was going to lose Kagome. It might take more of a toll on Shippou, rather than himself, even though it would make a scar deep in his soul that would never heal. His main purpose, in the sweet act that you rarely ever read, was trying to show Shippou that they would get through this _together

_What would you have me do? Let Kagome die and InuYasha acted like nothing happened? I would have to say, that would be _completely_ uncharacteristic for the hanyou, even by _my _standards. _

_2. Like I have so simply stated, InuYasha is different because he realizes there is no reason for him to be all gruff, and 'cold' like he tends to be. Where this story takes off, they both realize that they love one another. But admitting it is another thing. One more thing, that I have stated which you might have completely ignored. Maybe if you would have went a little further in the story, gave it a chance, you would have realized that there was times when he was completely rude and obnoxious like he used to be. But in my thoughts, with a time when she was so close from being taken away from him, why would he return to his former self? It doesn't make sense, and personally, I made it like that because I think it would be interesting to see a changei n our favorite hanyou. _

_Once again, everything in life isn't normal. I don't know if things in life is like that for you, but you need to open your eyes. To be twelve years old and to understand everything in life comes with a price, and that nothing is free, maybe you just need to grow up. I don't mean to sound rude, but my 6 year old nephew would have had enough sense to skim along the story a little bit more before he flamed me. It doesn't make sense to make a mystery in one part of the chapter, and then clear it up in the same chapter. It doesn't leave any suspense, no temptation, and basically you would have a really boring story. I don't know if you like stories like that, but you won't find me writing one like that. Sorry. _

_3. And about that impossible thing with his mother taking him to the outskirts of the village . . . haven't you ever had walks with your mother that take you far away from home, and then return just before dusk? I have, and to tell you, I loved the experience. So basically, it is possible. Just because she didn' t live anywhere near there doesn't mean it wasn't possible. And another thing . . . in InuYasha's era, horses were alive. Have you ever heard of drawing conclusions? It isn't that hard. She could have taken a horse, tied it up near the pond, and walked the rest of the way. Enough said. _

_I don't mean to sound rude , or immature, and I'm sorry if I am overeacting since this is my first flame. But the message, is to have patience. Just because something is a mystery at one period of time doesn't mean that it won't clear up. I mean . . . people. Common sense would have told you go on to the next chapter to figure out the mystery. But, let my stop raving on, and I have another thing I would like to clear up. _

_Those who have added my story to their auther alerts, this will go to their inboxes, whether they signed up for **Covetousness** or **Covetousness 2 : Discoveries**,will get this message, and that's why I didn't postit in**Covetousness**, because I think it doesn't make sense, sense it was review for what, the third chapter? So I just decided to make sure _everyone_ got it, just in case they didn't understand my writing strategy. Thank you for your time. And for the meantime, I _never_ block a user from reviewer, no matter _what_ they say. So _any_ comments, _please_ be free to email me. _

_---Chrissandra--- _

_A.K.A_

_YashaLuva _


	4. Impair

_**Impair**_

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji watched as Inuakamori and Inukuromori's practice battle in the backyard's point of difficulty excalated. Wincing as the clash of wood rang through her ears, she rolled her eyes and laid her arms on the railing. It was a saturday afternoon---which meant absolutely _nothing_ to do for her whatsoever. 

Her brother's lunged at each other once again, cracking a smile when they tried to break the other's defecne. Getting bored with them, Taji turned on her heel and walked into the kitchen. Smiling at her guest, she leaned down and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Hey baka."

"How ya doing brat?"

Taji wrinkled her nose at the playful insult. Noting the sadness and absolute boredom in his eyes and expression, she frowned and sat across the table from him. "What's the matter---"

"Nothing." He spat out, snorting and shooting air out of his nose.

"Well, chew my head off why don't you---" She stood up to leave but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrists. Cutting her eyes at him, the desperation for her to stay, the pleading look in his eyes for not to leave made her heart ache with guilt, and she sat back down with a sigh.

"She left."

Taji raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Before Kohaku answered, her head whipped around and she sniffed slightly. Something wasn't right. Of all places, why would his scent be in her father's forest? Why would he be there? Certainly his father wouldn't allow him to leave the house, right?

Kohaku cleared his throat as Taji apologized and turned back around. "Rin. She left with Sesshomaru."

Taji digested that in silence. _Why does he care?_ "Why did she leave? Is she ever going to come back?"

Kohaku balled his fists on the table and stared at his feet. "That's the thing. I know _why_ she left, but I don't _understand how_ it made her leave."

"There's something your not telling me."

It was more of a statement than a question. Kohaku didn't deny it, nor did he accept the accusation. Instead, he fell silent as his face took on a red hue from pain and guilt. "She . . . We . .. Something happened," He said in place of what he really wanted to. He absolutely refused to keep eye contact with the hanyou. She didn't comment as she stared at his head. "And about three days later, I found out that she left. I didn't mean to upset her. I mean . . . it's been 12 years . . . I just want to know, had to know . . . I didn't mean to . . ."

Taji shushed him and reached out to cover his hands with her own. However, a deep, threatening growl stopped her in her tracks. "I think," The voice growled as it grew nearer to Kohaku, causing him to turn stiff and pale. "I think you made an ass of yourself."

Taji stifled a sigh as she gave her father a piercing stare. Purposely glaring at the young boy so that sweat dripped down his back and face like blood, InuYasha bared his fangs as his irritation grew. Knowing Kohaku ever since a young age, where the attempt for the relationship had started, this was completely unexpected from the boy, and that, had angered the hanyou to no end. "Daddy, leave him alone."

"It's not my fault the kid doesn't know a damn thing about women."

"I knew enough to help you out." Kohaku bit back.

InuYasha scowled. "What was that you little punk?" He growled as he glowered down at him.

Taji began to growl as her anger soared and her cheeks burned red. Biting the inside of her cheek to bite her father's head off, she watched as InuYasha solely threatened Kohaku but just narrowing his eyes; and she watched Kohaku's pitiful attempt to prove that he wasn't scared of her father. Taking Kohaku's hand and shooting her father a pointed glare, Taji tugged on Kohaku until he stood up and led him out of the room. "And I'm telling Momma." She threw over her shoulder.

"Oi!"

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Sora wiped his forehead as he looked at the kitchen floor. Picking up the mop, he walked into the bathroom and placed it in the tub just as the phone began ringing. "Kitohoshi residence. Sora speaking, how can I help you?" 

"What are you doing?" His father growled.

Sora grimaced. "The dishes, and then I've completed all of my chores."

"That's my boy." Sora didn't wait for anymore as he hung up and hurried into the kitchen. Scowling at the dishes that had managed to pile up from his frequent appointments with Taji, he reached over and turned the water on.

He looked out the window as he began washing the dishes, humming softly to himself as the little children began to play outside. The sun was setting, causing the rays of light to lean down and sweetly, mother nature itself kissed the city of Tokyo. Sighing as his eyes fell on a young boy he sat nearby and watched the other children play, for a moment, their eyes connected. Giving the young boy a warm smile, Sora broke the eye contact and focused on his chores.

He looked up and glanced at the clock. _Dad's gonna be home soon._ He began to feel sick in his stomach. _Maybe, he'll let me go out today._ Sora grinned to himself, placing a clean plate in the dish rack and reaching to wash another. Watching as the suds from the soap ran off of the dishes, he turned his head as the phone began ringing again. Walking over to it, he reached over and picked it up, walking back into the kitchen to wash dishes as he talked on the phone. "Hello? Kitohoshi . . . "

"Sora Kitohoshi? _I've found you_."

Sora's eyes grew wide as he dropped the phone in the water. Watching as the light blinked a couple of times before it finally shut off, he dropped the glass into the water and grabbed his chest. His heart was hammering wildly. Eyes darting to the side, he began to feel as if the walls were closing in around him, and he watched as everything grew hazy before he stumbled to the side.

Was this fear that caused him to leave the house? Or was it just stupidity that he left the security of his house and flew threw the streets of Tokyo. Not looking back as he knocked people over and they cursed his fathers, and fathers of those fathers, he ran until he found himself in the security of a forest that seemed so familiar to him. Walking threw the bushes and trees, he cringed as the cool air nipped at his skin, and it began to get relatively dark to the point where he nearly didn't see things.

Finding it better to feel his way around, he began walking, swinging his arms out in front of him feverishly as he began to panic. He didn't know where he was, how he got here, or why he was even here, but he knew that he didn't like being here one bit.

After stumbling past a large boulder that was just stuck out of the ground, he screamed as he began rolling down a hill. Closing his eyes, he was nearly knocked unconscious as he rolled into a tree, back first. Blinking his eyes as his vision blurred and everything was hazy, he sat down a couple of moments until his heart rate died down, and he was able to see again.

Staggering, he stood up and began walking slowly down the hill. Something about this place . . . it set his soul at ease, and he began feeling like he did when his mother was still alive. He felt complete, and loved, and he stopped aghast when he found himself at a pond. Looking around nervously, a grin broke over his features as he quickly peeled off his clothes and hopped into the frigid water.

Withholding a scream as his body registered the shock, he dived under water and watched as the fish swam around and away from him, except for one. A little blue fish, he looked very young, and obviously very curious. He had never seen this kind before, and he nearly smiled when he swam away like the others when Sora merely blinked twice.

Returning to the surface, he swam to the edge and sat on the edge of it. If he went back home . . .

_There would be hell to pay._

If he stayed here . . .

_Someone would find me, call the police, get locked up, dad'll come and pick me up, and there will be all hell to pay. _

Which one was worst? He had already encountered both of them, each worst than the last time he recieved the punishment for absolutely no reason. Wincing as the look on his father's face and eyes as he scowled down on the figure curled into a ball at his feet, his face twisted into that of a hateful, disgusted sneer.

_I_ won't _go back . . . ever. _

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji waved as Kohaku pulled out of the driveway. She shifted her head slightly as the wind blew, and then frowned. _Sora?_ Closing the door, she went into the kitchen and peered out the back window. She certainly didn't see him, and when she was talking to Kohaku, she thought she smelled him, but now, it was faint, as if he was in a substance that was holding his scent. _The pond . . . my pond!_

Looking around, she opened the backdoor and carefully snuck outside. Checking around again, she broke into a sprint as she sniffed the air and allowed her senses to guide her as she followed his scent. _Daddy's gonna kill him if i don't tell him to leave!_ She thought in a panic as she hopped into a tree and looked around. Damn! How deep did he go?

She thought with a scowl as she jumped off the tree and began running again. His scent suddenly became stronger, and a wash of relief flooded over her. She must have been getting closer than she anticipated, because once she stopped in the middle of the clearing, not three yards away from her was his clothes.

Her face exploded in flames as a mental image popped into her head. She flattened her ears and whined as she rubbed her eyes. _Ewww! Ewww! Ewww!_ Ewww!

Walking slowly, she heard him sigh and peeked her head into another clearing, where he sat at the edge of the pond, kicking his feet and staring sadly into the water. What was he thinking about that caused him not to hear her when she purposely made enough rucus to tell Tokyo she was on her way? She watched as his blue eyes darkened until they were practically navy, and his face twisted before he hid his face with his bangs.

Her facial expression softened as she looked at the lone figure. How could he stand living through so much, without saying as much as a word to anybody, or anybody trying to help him? She couldn't stand it. It was impossible to ignore the stench his father had allowed him to walk into human society with, so disturbing it was strong enough for humans to smell it a mile away, and yet, he had a smile everyday when he came to school and laid eyes on her --- his only friend.

But now, his scent wasn't disturbing, not at all. It was more of a masculine scent, with a little bit of spearmint, and a little bit of fresh rainwater. It made her head feel dizzy, made her stomach do flips and all at the same time, made her close her eyes and dream whenever he was around her. This wasn't the only time that her senses went haywire as his natural 'male' scent floated to her. Usually, she was just uncomfortable, but this time, her stomach was fighting back, and her groin was knotting up, making her to whine and for him to turn around.

Cheeks enflamed as he opened his mouth to yell, she covered it with her hand before he could blink, hearing his heartbeat hammering against his chest dangerously, she whispered soothing words until he calmed down. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here? I live here!"

"You live here!"

"Yes, I do with a father who kills you have to go home!"

Sora dropped his gaze from her as he stared in the distance. "I can't go home."

"Why?"

"You know why. You was there. I had enough." Taji rolled up the legs of her pants, and sat down next to him, slipping her feet in the water.

"I. . . I don't think you should stay _here_."

Sora looked offended. "Why not? You'll be the only person who knows, and I don't have to go to school."

Now Taji looked offended. "No, you at least deserve to have an education, show him your worth something. I don't know . . . I have a bad feeling about his."

"C'mon Taji," Sora pleaded. "Please? You have to help me."

Taji looked at him in his eyes. A pleading emotion, as well as fear and hope shone like the morning sun, and after seeing him give an uneasy smile, she knew she was won over, and sighed. "Alright. I'll bring you food and soap, but you can't go to school, they can just pick you up. Instead, I'll bring back the work for you to do. How does that sound?"

Sora smiled as he hugged Taji, not realizing that he gave her a better view of his treasures than he meant to. "Thanks Taisho. Your the best."

Taji swallowed hards as her mind began to sway and her eyes, fighting against her conscious, focused on the 'up and ready' part of his body. She whimpered as her cheeks flooded with embarrassed color. "Sora . . . you . . . your . . . can you . . . " She nodded towards his nudity.

With a muttered curse, he dived under the water, doing little to hide himself as he pointed to his clothes. Face darkening as images of it moving everywhere with the slightest movement ran into her mind, she flinched as heat flowed to her groin and she pressed her legs together. She turned and stalked into the trees as he got dressed. Walking back, she could see he was embarrassed too, and that made her feel a little better. "Sorry." He mumbled.

She shook her head. "It's . . . it's ok. I shouldn've snuck up on you."

He turned and looked at her with a soft, gentle, yet firm expression. "How do you always know?"

"Always know what?"

"Where I am, or where I'm hurt . . . it's like your a search dog or something."

Taji flinched at the unrealized insult. "I . . .Best friends can sense when something's wrong with each other, right buddy?"

His eyes glowed. "Right."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

The next day, Taji whistled to herself as she cleaned up the teacher's lounge. Having to bribe the teachers into not practically calling the state on her brother's, she'd offered to clean up the teachers lounged twice a week for the rest of the year, something that she was learning to dread. She rolled her eyes as she reached over and began sweeping the floor, before the door flew open and she held the broom in a fashion ready to strike, even though it wasn't her preferred weapon that she trained with . . . 

"Calm down pup . . . can't a guy like me get something to drink without getting getting clobbered Taisho?"

Taji eyed the intruder carefully. Silver hair, honey golden eyes . . . she stared at them a moment longer before she bared her fangs and growled. "You! Your the jerk that . . . "

"Yurp, that was me. Nice rack by the way."

Taji's cheek's exploded in indignant color as her famous temper began to rise. _The only reason he's even looking at me right now . . ._ she fumed. _Is because he ran and daddy, Aka and Kuro didn't get to clobber him like they should have. _

"Whoa . . . who set off the fireworks in your head? I give a chack a compliment and her youki goes all haywire." She said as he stuck his fang into the money slot, and pressed a button. Taji watched as he kicked the machine, pushed a button, and a soda flew out. She even watched in rage as he sat on the table she just polished too.

"What are you doing here?"

The boy waved off her question. "Whew! With a temper like that, who couldn't tell you were InuYasha's daughter? It's been a long time, hasn't it Taji?"

"Who are you?"

"Hmph! You don't remember? Maybe it's for the best."

"Who are you?" She repeated. He snorted but this time spared her a glance.

"Kazuki, Kazuki Nishimura. Well, it's been about 7 years, haven't it? Akemi never forgotten about Aka, did you know? The old man was pretty upset when Aka broke up with him. Wanted to kill him in fact." Kazuki said, casually---too casually. Idly twisting the bottle in his hand, he spared Taji and glance and grinned.

Her face red with anger, and her lips in a half snarl, she was utterly adorable, and completely the reason he wanted her so much as he did now. "And to make your day even better, I've been transferred into this school, as well as Akemi. It seems that Mother has fallen ill, and she has to take refuge in a home. The doctor says that to take her back home, to the place where she was born is the best place for her. I have a proposal to make."

Taji straightened her shoulders and turned her head, snorted. She really didn't care, but daring a peek at him, she could tell that he was serious. "What?"

"With the added bonus of being my girlfriend, and possible mate, your mother has to nurse my mother back to health. Deal?"

"So, both of them benefits you. What about me? I'm all for helping your mother." She wrinkled her nose. "Going out with you is another story."

Faster than the blink of an eye, he was behind her, wrapping his arms around her, catching her in an embrace that she had no choice but to submit to. Grinding her teeth together as he growled in her ear seductively, he chuckled slightly, causing his breath to fan against her ear and make her shudder. "Why not? You promised to before."

"I . . . I was just a pup then." She argued.

He shook his head and squeezed her slightly. "And your a pup still. Only . . . a more mature pup that meets my standards." He said slowly.

She rolled her eyes and tried to get him to release his grip. It didn't work. "I'll see what my mom says. In the meantime, you ever come onto my property, and you'll have something shoved in a place you don't want it got that?"

"Oh such threats . . . " He growled as he released her, taking time to give a quick lick on her cheeks before zipping to the door. "That's why I love you my dear."

Taji watched as he disappeared from view and with the back of her hand whiped her face like his tongue was acid. Picking back up the broom, she couldn't stop shaking. Something about him . . . almost frightened her. And she was afraid that if she didn't get over it, and soon, she might submit to anything that he asked.

His aura was full of pride, and demanding respect. It battled hers, and telling by the condition she was in now, she lost pitifully. She closed her eyes and gripped the broom so tight that it splintered and with a yelp she threw it down on the ground. Gripping her hand, she looked at the injuries, and with a snort, stomped out of the room.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

**_A/N_**

_I would like to announce that most likely I will be going away to my grandmother's house every weekend. So don't expect updates then, or on certain holidays because sometimes my family might visit. I would also like to congradulate my sister in law, (I'm not sure if she reads this like I ask her to) on her newly discovered pregnancy with a much prayed for little girl! My prayers are with you. Enjoy! _


	5. Reminiscing

**_Reminiscing_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_The young hanyou smiled as her brothers played with the neighbors that lived just a mile away. Hide and go seek was a game that everyone loved, and for some reason, she was the only person that didn't want to play. The heat made her press her ears down on her head, and she laid back on the branch of a great tree with a scowl. Why is it so hot? _

_"Taji!" One of her brother's called. Taji leaned over the side and glared at her brother Inuakamori. "C'mon and play!" _

_"No thanks." She replied, wrinkling her nose. "It's too hot." _

_"Your going to be hotter if you stay up there!" The neighbor said. Her name was Akemi, she was short, but sweet, and held a softness to her that Taji never knew a youkai had. Sometimes, Taji wondered if Akemi wanted to be human, but she never had the nerve to ask. _

_Coming up to stand next to his little sister, the oldest of the two grinned at Taji. "Oh C'mon! It's fun! Akemi's right too! You'd be hotter if you stay up there." _

_Taji snorted and leaned back. "No thank you. It's tiring just watching you run around like fleas on a neko." _

_They all laughed and resumed playing their little game. Taji watched as Akemi was caught first, then her brother, and then her other brother, Inukuromori. Aka was always the victor of any game. _

_The children decided to sit down by the pond that Taji claimed as her own. Aka and Akemi decided to play in the pond with the fish. Kuro, who basically despised water at that time, sat in a high tree, arms folded behind his head with a slight smile on his face. Whether he was sleeping, or just had his eyes close, noone could ever tell. Taji sat on the edge of the pond, dangling her feet in the water playfully. _

_Kazuki, Akemi's older brother, sat next to Taji slowly. Glancing over, she caught his admiring gaze and blushed deeply. Words couldn't form in her mouth, her stomach was doing flips, and she nearly forgot how to breath until he began talking. "Have you ever been on a date?" _

_"Nope. Dad's a murdered, and then you have the assassins, so basically anybody that comes within three feet is dead." _

_"Well," Kazuki cleared his throat. "I'm three feet near you." _

_Taji opened her mouth to reply to that, but a sharp growl from high above made her wince, and in turn, she growled back. With a snort, it was silence, and she stared into the water, irritation evident on her face. "Aka and Akemi . . . they look happy together." _

_Kazuki gave a short growl but shook his head. "Yeah . . . if he makes her happy, I won't go after his head again." _

_Taji winced as a memory of the fight that made Kazuki and Aka nearly kill each other. About a month later, Kazuki was best friends with the twins. "That's a good thing, right?" _

_Kazuki grinned. "Right. About what we were talking before . . . "_

_"Can I ask youa question?" _

_"Sure." _

_"Why do you look at me like that?" _

_"Like what?" _

_"I dunno . . . it's a certain way you look at me . . . it makes me feel all queasy and then I blush and then can't stop talking . . . ." _

_"It's because . . . " It was Kazuki's turn to blush. "It's because I like you Taji. I really do." _

_Taji looked at him. "You do?" _

_"Yes . . . and I wanted to ask you out, but that's basically suicide, right?" _

_"Well . . . not if I'm on my own." _

_Kazuki stared at Taji for a moment, then he cleared his throat as his eyes darkened. "Promise me something. When your older, old enough to take care of yourself, promise me that we'll go out someday. Maybe even more than once." _

_"Ok, I promise." _

_Taji smiled and laid her head on Kazuki's shoulder as his hand slipped into hers. . . . _

Taji bolted upright and grabbed her stomach. It was doing the same thing it did seven years ago, and the blush on her face deepened as visions of the way his eyes looked then, and that day he caught her in the pond, it made her shudder and throw the covers off of her legs.

She was suddenly hot. Everything felt on fire. Tugging on the oversized boxers that she wore to sleep, she threw her ponytail back over her shoulder, and opened the door to find her two brother's standing right there. "Hey guys . . . "She said nervously. "What's up?"

The look on their faces, the way they dragged, especially Kuro's, made her step forward slightly and frown. "What's the matter?"

Still, no answer. They just stared. Half tired, half wide awake, half frightened, halffrightened? The No Taisho twins, frightened? Shaking her head as she stepped back, she allowed her brothers to walk into the room.

Kuro took a seat on the floor next to her bed, while Aka sat down in the window seat. Frown deepening, Taji sat on her bed and playfully rubbed her brother's ears, knowing it soothed him. "So . . . what's bugging you?"

"I remember . . ." Aka said, peering out the window sadly. "I remember seven years ago, the last day we ever saw them. I remember what she told me when we were in the waterfall."

Taji felt Kuro stiffen, but she didn't say anything as she rubbed his ear at the base a with a little more pressure, and he relaxed slightly. "Yea? I had a dream about that too. Ironic isn't it?"

She laughed nervously, but it only served to intensify the tension in the air. Taji felt Kuro growl softly, and the hairs on the back of her neck stiffened, and she, for that one moment, felt something was going to go very, very wrong. She pictured blood, a lot of blood, and she had a feeling that it was going to be someone close to her.

Biting back fear that rose to choke her, to drag her down in hell and torture her until doomsday, she waved for Aka to come over, and she almost smiled when he laid his head on her lap, quirking his ears and closing his eyes, one knee bent, the other hanging lazily over the side, barely balanced by Kuro's shoulder. "Promise me something. " Taji whispered.

She gave a small yelp when Kuro whipped forward. She moved over, and allowed him to sprawl out on the bed next to her. Aka stretched out on the other side. All three of them stared at the ceiling, deep in wonder.

"Taji?" Aka asked. "That boy . . . isn't he weird to you?"

She shrugged. "Yea, but he's practically the nicest person I know."

"But," Kuro shrugged. "What about the way he reeks? It makes me want to howl."

Taji scowled. "It can't be helped. It's not my business to tell, but you guys, leave him alone. He's my friend. Your promise you won't mess with him?"

They shrugged and grunted, and they scowled as she hugged each of them. When she let go , they smiled. Ten minutes later, Aka turned slightly, only to find Taji sleeping peacefully. Nuzzling her cheek softly, he chuckled as Kuro draped the sheet over her. "Night sis."

"Night baka." Kuro said playfully.

"Night baka." Aka replied just as he closed his eyes and allowed sleep to take over his mind.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Sora sighed as he looked off into the distance that Taji was supposed to be coming. He looked at his watch. Class was going to start in ten minutes, and she was running late? Taji No Taisho, late? But something told him that wasn't true. But in all, he was hungry, and he had already lived accustomed to not eating two or three days at a time, so he sat and waited. 

Looking at the bar of soap that sat next to him, if he took another bath, that would be the third time in six hours. But he couldn't shake the feeling of being dirty, of being nothing more than a piece of living trash on the street. And basically, in his condition, he had a good feeling that's what he looked like too. Shaking his head as someone burst into the clearing, Sora widened his eyes at the intruder.

"What are you doing here human?"

"Human, your human to! And why are you here?"

"I came to see Taji. Just who are you?"

Sora's jaw tightened as Taji burst into the clearing with the things that she had promised. Taji, looking quite shocked at her visitor, glanced back and forth between the two boys. Kazuki pointed a finger at Sora and scowled. "Just who the hell is this?"

"He's . . . he's my friend." She said, giving Sora his food and assessories. "Just why are you here?"

Kazuki stuck his chest out proudly. "I came to walk you to school."

Taji frowned at Sora gave almost a snort. Kazuki's scowl deepened as he glared at Sora. "Is this your boyfriend?"

"My what?"

"Your boyfriend. Is this why you can't live up to your promise?"

"Promise?" Sora asked as he looked at Taji. "What promise?"

"It's a long story." She said as she tried to push Kazuki out the clearing. "I'll see you afterschool okay?"

A grunt was her answer as they walked onto the Tokyo streets. Taji didn't say anything until they reached the school gates, and then, she growled. "Just what do you think you were doing?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to see why you were always in a hurry to get back home. Well . . . at least your not completed yet." He said, making a show of sniffing her stomach. Taji gave a yelp and smacked him upside the head.

"Where's Akemi?"

"Already at school. She got a ride, I think I'll walk you everyday."

Taji opened her mouth to retort, but the bell rang and students started shuffling inside. Instead, she merely narrowed her gaze at the youkai, shook her head, and walked away. _Baka . . . _She fumed.

Sitting in class was a bore. Eating lunch without Sora's cheerful smile was a bore, everything was boring ot her as she sighed for the hundredth time that day. Taura slammed her juice down and glared at Taji. "Just what is your problem? Wierdo isn't here and you go all anti-social? What, are you guys," She brought her tone down. "Mated?"

Her cousin, Nyoko, raised in eyebrow in question but didn't comment. Taji, however, cheeks blossomed in color as she waved off the accusation. "What? It's nothing like that. . . no. . . just today is, I dunno, boring."

Taura didn't look like she believed her, but instead, simply shook her head. This time, however, Nyoko began to comment. "Well," She said in a tone only Taji could hear. "Does your youkai call for him?"

"How would I know? Papa says I'm too young for my youkai to choose."

"Well, my Papa says that sometimes, if you meet him at the right age, your youkai'll call for him. Do you know how it feels when your youkai calls for someone?"

"Nope. You?"

Nyoko grinned. Not a shy, embarrassed grin. A sneaky, sly, I'm--not--going--to--tell--you grin that made Taji grit her teeth together. "Nope."

Taura looked at the two and became irritated. "You know, I wish you guys would stop doing that. Library, afterschool girls?"

Nyoko nodded, but Taji flinched. "Sorry, no. I have to get home."

Taura watched as Taji stood up and walked away quickly. "She's hiding something from us Gem."

Nyoko shook her head and narrowed her eyes knowingly. _Why does she hold his scent?_ She frowned slightly, her stoic face taking the familiar form of her father when he was deep in thought. _What have you gotten yourself into dear cousin?_

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Kazuki frowned slightly as he watched Taji walk out of the school building. Leaning against the limosuine casually, he crossed his arms and growled slightly as two spider hanyou walks in front of him, glaring at him threateningly, but kept moving. Face twitching to form a smile, he watched as Taji looked at him, startled, before her youki itched with irritation and she tried to ignore him. " Taisho!" 

She slowly, reluctantly turned her head to look at him, and he ran over to her. The way her eyes dragged over his uniform, the way she stared into his eyes, taunting him, daring him, to make any moves, he winced as he realized she was in a hurry, and nearly scowled when a thought crept into his mind. Why was she going to see that . . . that human?

True it was in her blood naturally to have a soft spot for humans, but he never thought she would creep so low as to have one reside on her property. Glaring at her through soft gently eyes, his gaze racked over her facial features, trying to find an answers to so many questions that were flashing through his head. "How can I help you?" She said dryly.

Kazuki cringed. It really was impossible not to be able to tell when this girl was in a bad mood. But it was really nagging at him, and he decided to get to the point before she sharpened her claws on him. "What did your mom say?"

She flinched but nodded as a disgusted look crossed over her features. "About that date . . . I can't go today."

"Why not?"

She wanted to scream to him the secret of her family, to tell him that tonight was the full moon, but that would leave her vulnerable, and instead, she bit her lip and glanced at her watch. "I just can't. Is that all . . . have something to do."

Kazuki opened his mouth to reply when two sharp growls cut him off, followed by two mirror images creeping towards him. A smile covered his features. "Aka! Kuro! It's been so long!"

"K-K-Kazuki?" Kuro said, apparently grasping the young boy before his brother, who still looked confused, until a young girl ran into him, her face red with fatigue, and now darkened with embarrassment.Aka helped her before he fell, and she apologized had to be a hundred times before she focused on the ground and stepped back.

Taji watched with a jaw to the floor as Kuro and Kazuki began talking about old times, and as Aka stared at the young girl, who blatantly refused to meet his gaze. She sighed and gave a growl that went unheard. "How have you been Aka?" Akemi asked in a small voice.

By the way his ears quirked, Taji knew he heard her." You know me? How do you . . . "

"It's been a long time. I didn't think you would remember." She said sadly. This time, when she looked up, her eyes were rimmed with tears, but her face held a bright smile. "It's me, Akemi."

Aka stumbled back a little bit. "Ake---Oi! I remember now---why are you crying? What are you crying for?"

She shook her head as she dashed a hand across her eyes. "I'm just so glad to see you! Would you like to go out for some tea? Or soda?"

Aka smiled nervously and nodded. She took his elbow, and ran off with him. Taji turned to comment to this, only to find her other brother entering the limo with Kazuki.With a sigh, and a plead to kami to strike her down, she stomped all the way home.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

**_

* * *

_**

And then they just left?"

"Yup."

"Just like that?"

"Yup. Both of them."

Sora laughed outrightedly. He leaned over and grasped his stomach, making Taji's irritation soar as she glared at the boy through narrowed eyes. "What's so funny?"

"The fact that your upset someone came and whisked your brother away. What, you don't like this chick?"

Taji wrinkled her nose. "I dunno . . . whenever she's around, Kuro acts funny. He always leaves, or when she's around, he'll go far away, like she's a parasite or something. But Aka's interested in her . . . I think they might become mated."

"You mean soul mated right? I don't think so. No offence, but I can't picture your brother with only one girl."

Taji smiled as she laughed softly herself. "Last night . . . when we were together . . . it just made me realize that I wouldn't want anyone to take them away from me. Their like my whole life, my protection, my best friends. I don't know what I would do if one of them left me."

Sora frowned slightly as he stared at the hanyou. A fear that he never knew within her was now showing, it bit at his heart, stabbed his soul like a dagger, made him wince and made something inside him itch to comfort her. Biting back the desire to do something that would get him clobbered, he rubbed her arm soothingly, meant to let her know everything was alright.

At first, she stiffened. Then, she relaxed, and gave a soft sigh as she leaned in closer to him, then layed her head on his shoulder. Sora thought for an instant, he felt a something poke him in his cheeks, but when he reached, nothing was there except for the soft hairs on top of her head. Silkyand smooth, like a waterfall that never ended, it made him wonder how could someone ever have a haircolor like hers, and mesmorizing eyes that made him stop in his tracks and stare for hours.

There was something about this girl that made him forget just how cruel life was. That made all the thoughts about his mother and father seem like nightmares. When he was with her, she made everything alright, knew when he needed her, and she always knew when something was wrong. It baffled him how she was always there when he was in the worst shape, and he had grown accustomed to it.

He was too afraid to tell her how he felt, to let her know she made him feel like no other person had made him feel before. But . . . he was afraid. He was afraid of her not returning the same feelings that he had for her, and he was afriad that his father would try to hurt her to keep her away from him. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he pulled her close as he laid his head on top of her, making her sigh softly.

It was amazing how comfortable everything felt when they were together, how nature seemed to cry with happiness, how the animals came to say hello to her, and how the wind blew so that her hair blew to the side and her eyes sparkled with an intensity he had a feeling the was melting something with her piercing, yet soothing gaze. Something about the way she smelled, the creamy smoothness of her skin made him shudder, made him feel like a huge smelly pile of dirt, and that caused him to relent holding her when she felt upset, but he held on to her still, and a part of him didn't want to let go either.

"Sora?"

"Hmmm?'

"Don't . . . will you stay? Here I mean?"

"Where do I have to go? I like it here . . . with you."

He felt her smile, he felt her soul soften and let down one of the walls that held him from seeing what she hid from him and everyone so well. She was a mystery to the world never to be unfolded, something that nature itself had never been able to understand, yet she was so predictable to him he could tell when she did something and it was bothering her by the way she looked at him, the emotions that shone in her eyes told all.

It made him wonder how he was able to read her so clearly, and how she was able to give soothing advice when he never even talked about the subject. She had a hidden power that he submitted to . . . a physical beauty that made him surrender to every call that her soul did to his, and he did it willingly, with a smile on his face. " Taji . . . I remember, you told me your birthday was in three days."

"Yea, why?"

"I was just wondering . . . are you cold?"

"No." She said, but the shiver she gave told him she was lying. With a sigh, he stood up and held out a hand to help her.

"C'mon. You should be getting home."

"I . . . I think I'll . . . alright."

"I'll walk you."

Reasoning now lost, she merely shook her head as he took off his button down shirt and draped it over her shoulders. She looked over to him and gave him a small smile at the show of generosity, and in favor, as they were walking moved a little closer to him.

The forest seemed to still and watched the two as they walked side by side through the forest. The trees smiled down on them, the wind caressed their soft skin sympathetically. The birds and the animals, bugs and squirrells, seemed to give them a clear safe path as thoughts ran erractically through each of their heads, and just one focusing thought made sense to them. The feeling that you had when you knew that everything would be alright, when you felt that the sun was going to shine on the dark parts of your heart and soul, that you didn't have to cry anymore . . .

When they were together, they had something that neither of them had ever come to realize. Freedom.

Freedom to do what they want, say, wear, and feel what they want. Not being bossed around by someone higher than them, not having to submit to someone elses will, they both knew that they were their own person, and the one thing that made it all complete, they felt completely free when they were with each other. The were best friends, yet each had a secret emotion for the other that was completely alien to the other, and they both thought it was wrong to have these emotions, Taji especially, and they kept that burning desire, the fire which held them so strongat bay from the other one's seeking eyes.

Hidden deep between icy blue orbs was a ferocious need to live, and to prove others wrong ; that he was something, not a being sent from hell to bring chaos to his family. Behind that timid smile, and shy demeanor, was a scared young boy that lived a traumatic life, with a past that dared to rip him apart from the inside out . . . until he was taught that it was okay to cry, and that everything that happened wasn't his fault.

Hidden into the mind of a hanyou, were the thoughts that he family were going to leave her, one by one, with a disgusted scowl on their face. She remembered when her mom and dad fought when they were little, there were some times when her mother would go over Grandmother Higurashi's house. It scared little Taji . . . she always thought her mother wasn't going to come back, and she would go to school, hide under the slide during the morning and recess, and cry her poor little eyes out. She was scared that she was alone in life, and that there was a deep secret that was going to tear the family apart . . . until she learned that she had a friend that would stay with her . . . never leave her, no matter what happened.

She bit back tears that threatened to fall as happiness rose inside of her , constricted her chest, choked her, and she grabbed her chest, reaching for her heart when it began hammering against her chest at the mere thought of never losing the one person that she knew was there for her, no matter what she did.

Sora shrugged sadly as the house came into view. Taji stopped walking, the moonlight giving her skin a blue hue, and made her eyes seem almost brown.

_Wait a minute . . . _

Her hair was no longer silver. Long raven strands was no flowing down her back, and she looked more vulnerable, and almost sick as he racked over her whole form. "Taji . . . your hair . .. your _eyes _. . . "

She gave a smell yelp and turned to leave when Sora grabbed her elbow. Eyes pleading for an answer, something, anything to help him understand why he just transformed in front of her, he opened his mouth to beg her when her eyes rimmed with tears. "Please . . . let me go . . ."

She said in a voice so weak, so scared, he didn't know if it was her he was talking to. Her whole appearance, the stubborn teen he knew so well, was vanishing in front of his eyes, and he watched helplessly as two fat tears streamed down her face. He reluctantly, slowly let go of her elbow.

With a apologetic look, she bit her lip as she lingered in the clearing, stared at him for a moment as another tear fell down her face. He reached to wipe it away, when she gave a broken sob, a shrill cry, and darted away from him, and into the house. With his conscious pricking at him to go knock on the door, with a wounded pride and low ego, he turned, with slumped shoulders, and dragged his feet back to where the girl he thought he knew allowed him to live.

* * *

**_A/N_**

_Well . . . I guess some more of a mystery. But . . . in case I forgot in the last chapter . . here's the dictionary and a little clear-up. _

_**Nyoko** : Gem Sesshomaru's Daughter. She acts just like him_

_**Taura** : Many Rivers Sango and Miroku's Daughter_

_**Kazuki** : First of a New Generation Mystery Unfolds Later in Story_

_**Akemi** : Bright and Beautiful Kazuki's little sister. Mystery Unfolds Later in Story._

_Enjoy!_


	6. Unfathomable Sentiment

**_Unfathomable Sentiment_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji bit back another scream as she pushed her face into her pillow. Her sobs escalated, made her whole body shake, filling the void in her chest when she realized that nobody was home. It made the secret that she held in her heart spring to life . . . cause a pain that threatened to devour her whole if she let it ruin her life. It was in her nightmares, it caused her not to be able to sleep at night if her senses, her scent didn't tell her that somebody, anybody was there with her. 

The feeling of being alone.

She never knew when it started, but she just remembered feeling something in her chest when she went to sleep alone, and something deep, and dark would rise within her, threatening to consume her, made her scream until her mother had to bark to wake her up. It often led to days without eating, moving, and a couple of times, she even lost consciousness because of hear that noone would be there to help her when she needed them. She always felt as if she was being held in a chamber, and the memory of someone supposed to be coming to save her, but being told over and over again that noone was going to come.

She gavea scream again, digging her nails into the mattress, aggravated she couldn't rip anything to shreds. She looked up and out the window,and could see the smoke from when he made a fire. She had recieved a note from her parents, that was crumpled and tattered . . . meaning her brother's read it.

_Sorry for such the short notice . . . but we had to run away on an important business trip. If you need anything, go on to grandmother's . . . no parties or any of that. We'll be back by Friday. I love you. _

_Love . . . _

_Mom and Dad _

Taji grimaced. That meant another night that she would be by herself, another week that the fear that rose within her from such a young age would reign supreme. She shuddered as those feelings rose within her, taunting her, daring her to scream for help that wouldn't come. She closed her eyes. Dreamed of being alone, in a dark vortex where no one could find her. Everyone she ever loved, everyone she ever held any trust in, noone came to save her. She was left to rot and die, and pushing her knees into her chest, she thought maybe that would be the best thing to do.

She felt as if the feelings that she fought to hide from the world for years was growing stronger each year, and that it was there a long time, possibly before she even escaped her mother's wound. She always had a pressure at her a chest, a burden on her mind that she just couldn't simply ask for help for. It was something that she would have to take care of herself, and even though it seemed easy, in the end, she might die from absolute fear that she would have to do something on her own. Her brothers and her fathers were always there for her. Whether she needed to be or not. Now, she expected them to be there, and her strength was the look of comfort they used to always give her. But when Sora witnessed her transformation, the strength and support she had relied on for years had vanished as quietly as it had come, and she panicked from having no support.

Taji ran like she did because it was impossible to ignore the hint of betrayal in Sora's eyes, the complete anger in his ki. How would she be able to explain, that on these nights, she wouldn't be able to make sure nothing hurt him? How would she be able to explain to him that her grandfather wasn't human at all, and that in reality she was a cross between human and youkai? She would never be able to explain it to him, and though he pleaded for her to, it brought her to tears when fear rose to choke her.

She was afraid he would scream, be terrorized, frightened, anything and everything of being her friend. She was scared he would go back to that hellhole he called a home, all because he found out the truth of her heritage. It was obvious he was startled, it radiated off him in waves, but to see that he was losing trust in her, and that he was beginning to doubt their friendship, it made her want to crawl into a corner and vanish.

Sitting up, she looked out the window as the smoke from his fire rose into the sky, creating a dark mess that separated in the sky. She frowned. Picking up her cover, she draped it over her shoulders, and walked out of her room. Walking into her brother's room, she picked up a sleeping bag and proceeded to walk outside. It was a little chilly, and she couldn't run because she lost her demonic speed, and the sleeping bag was a little heavy,she had to walk agonizingly slowly.

When she finally reached the camp, she wasn't able to walk in immediately. She sat and watched as he poked at the fire that was dying out. The still burning twigs and leaves rustled and sparked slightly as he stared in it. It was evident that he was in thought, but what scared her more was the worry on his face. Walking into the clearing, he didn't turn his head right away to look at her. "S-Sora?"

He didn't answer. What he did do, was flinch. He turned his head away, and sighed. "Taji . . . I . . . what . . . "

She shook her head as she sank down next to him. "I . . . I can't."

He seemed disturbed by her answer. But he ignored the nagging that told him to press on it, and gave a fake smile, well, at least tried to. "It's . . . it's okay. Your still Taji right?"

She gave a timid smile. It hurt her to see him trying to be alright with the changes within her, but still, she was glad he didn't press for an explanation. "Right."

She turned around slightly and looked at the pond that was nearby. "Please tell me you didn't . . . "She said when he began shivering.

Nodding his head and giving an embarrassed smile,he sneezed once before pulling his knees close. Taji shook her head and pointed towards the sleeping bag. He shook his head. "No. I'm not sleepy."

"You go to it or I'm going to put you in it." She said sternly, half teasing but meaning for him to do what she said. With a smile and a grimace, he crawled over to the sleeping bag and laid down in it. Pulling the covers up to his neck, she nodded her head approvingly as she laid her sleeping bag next to his.

"Hey . . . what about . . . "

"Not home. I don't have to go to school tomorrow. So I guess you can come in the house."

Sora looked a little shaken by her confession, but he didn't comment as he watched her climb in the sleeping bag. Getting warm and comfortable in her covers tooka little bit more time, but she sighed when the cool chill of the night didn't bother her as much as it did before. "Sora . . . when you realized that it changed . . . were you scared?"

Sora didn't say anything for a while. Taji didn't think he was going to answer. "I . . . I wasn't scared. But I was a little startled. That's all. It's not everyday something like that changes. Does it happen every night?"

Taji cleared her throat. "I . . . I can't really talk about it."

Sora grinned. "I understand."

They laid in silence for a while. Neither wanted to speak, neither wanted to ruin the special feeling of when they were together. Sora, to Taji's surprise, reached over and moved a locke of hair behind her ear, a compassionate twinkle in his eyes that made her cheeks warm and a soft sigh escape her. He smiled slightly, noting the way her eyelashes fluttered as he continued to play in her hair.

Wondering whether she was an angel in disguise, or just a mystical being that was sent to bring him to heaven, it was amazing the way she made him feel when something was troubling him. It didn't matter whether he had a hole in his stomach, or just whether he was suffering from a headache. Seeing her always made his pain go away, and she always brightened his day. She sighed again. "Taji No Taisho," He muttered.

She nearly withdrew from his gentle touches, and she felt an odd sense of completeness as her name tumbled off of his lips. It felt so right, so perfect, that all she could do was wiggle a little closer, reaching forward and running her fingers through his hair. Nothing impressed her like the way his eyes flashed when she touched him did. It made her smile, laugh sometimes, and it was amazing how she could read him by staring into the oceans that led to his mind.

"S-Sora. . . "She mumbled, pulling her hand back slowly. He caught her wrist, and to her surprise, brought to to his face, putting it on his cheek and holding it there softly. He chuckled when she gave a soft gasp, and in return, he kissed the palm of her hand and allowed her to take it back, even though she did so reluctantly.

"Taisho?"

"Hmmm?"

"Goodnight."

"'Night."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji blinked her eyes as immediately the smell of pain and blood drifted into her nostrils. Sitting up and looking around,she frowned in confusion before her gaze fell to the cream colored back that was taking a bath in the pond. Eyes still half sleep, she blinked them again as she wiggled out of her covers and called out to him. "Sora? Sora?" 

"I'm here." He said with a hint of shock. She heard the water slosh, and she winced as the pain radiated more strongly.

"Is everything alright?" She said as she quirked her ears under her concealment spell, having them turn left and right to examine her area. Sora walked back in, a shirt covering his chest with a pair of boxers on. Immediately she stood up and reached for his chest, but he stepped back with a stern look on his face.

"I'm fine." He said, but the look on her face told him she didn't believe him.

She gave him a look meant to let him know just what she thought about his lying as she stared at his stomach. "You know, I can just help you if you let me."

"That's what I mean!" He said, accusation high in his tone. "How do you always know when something's wrong?"

"Ah-ha!" She countered."So it is something! Show me!"

"I'm fine!"

"No your not! Your lying! I can tell!"

"Taji . . . "

Sora looked really irritated, but Taji wouldn't back down an inch. Fourteen years of screaming at her bakas of a family had taught her never to back down, at the slightest change in expression. "You can't hide it from me. Show me." She said, reaching for his shirt.

He went to pry her hands away, but slowly drew them back as he shrugged his shoulders and lifted his shirt so that she could see the wound. Her face immediately turned pale, almost a chalky white as she suddenly froze and stared in shock. "Did he do this to you?"

"Who? My old man?" Sora chuckled nervously as he pulled his shirt back down, and kept pulling at it, even when it was choking him. "No . . . I was playing and I fell. It's nothing."

"You need stitches. "She said matter-of-factly. "You need to go to the hospital."

"I'm fine." He said, his tone a little gruffer than he intended it to be. With a slight hint of surprise in her eyes, she reluctantly drop the subject as she lit the fire in front of her. In silence, she watched as he tidied up the area they were in as she stared into the fire. He was lying, she could smell it. It was plucking at her nerves, making her grind her teeth and fight with all her will power and soul not to cry. She knew his father did this to him, despite the fact that his father's stench was all over it from when he tried to clean it up, it blantantly stood out from 'accidental' wounds, clearly stating that it had been done purposely. But Taji knew better than that. She couldn't just simply make accusations. Even though, in the youkai world, he would have been convicted long ago, it would rise suspicion within the human race, and she didn't have a doubt that terrible things would happen from there.

Drooping her shoulders, she decided not to bring it up, unless it was bothering him. But it didn't look like it was going to heal well, and it also gave off an odor that made her cringe and wrinkle her nose. It wouldn't have been strong enough for humans to smell it until about two weeks later, but she definitely could, and to say she wanted to hurl right then and there wasn't close to the way she felt at that moment. Shifting slightly, she watched as he moved with care, trying not to put too much pressure on his stomach. "Sora . . . you don't have to clean up. If somebody comes into the property, I'll know." She stood up.

Sora dusted off his hands and frowned. "You're sure? Huh Taisho?"

She grabbed his hand and forced a grin on her face. "Yea, so let's go." She said with a snort, leading him back into the house.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"Wow. Nice place." 

"Thanks. Don't break anything please. Did I tell you my dad's a murderer?"

"Yea, and I think I might not want to find out if you're telling the truth or trying to scare me." He cringed. "Your brother's are proof enough."

"Those bakas? They cringe at my voice. They are nothing to be afraid of. They wouldn't hurt a human."

"What do you mean by that? When you say 'a human'?"

Taji froze as she forced herself not to lock with the gaze that was now staring at the back of her head. He was sitting on her bed as she looked for a change of clothes in her drawer, keeping her company when they just began talking. She didn't realize they had drifted all the way to this topic. "Nothing . . . I was just being sarcastic."

"R-i-i-ight. You know," Sora laughed. "You're the weirdest girl I have ever met."

"Cool. Glad I fit in your records."

Sora blushed. "Me too."

Taji giggled with embarrassment as she muttered an 'excuse me' and hurried off to the bathroom to get ready. Turning on the hot water, she set the temperature before peeling off her clothing and stepping into the shower stall. Feeling the hot water wash off all of the stress and fear, leaving a pure, strong being in it's wake, she sighed and allowed the water to capture her hair also.

He was coming to close to the truth. Taji knew that, and even though half of her screamed at her that she was letting him too close, and that it could be fatal, the other half was overjoyed.

_You're going to regret this!_ A voice said, speaking for the first time in a long while.

_No I'm not . . . it's nice being friends with him. He's sweet. _

_That's not what I mean._ It growled. _You know exactly what I mean. You were going to tell him the family secret. Are you trying to get killed? You hardly know this kid . . . _

_He's my friend, and I trust him. _

_But yet, he doesn't trust you enough to tell you the truth about his father. _

The words that spoke the truth so accurately stabbed at her stomach, made her cringe and bit back tears that had threatened to rise within her. The voice didn't know how accurate it really was, did it? And the only thing was, she didn't want to believe it, yet she knew it was true. _That's . . . that's different._

_Is it really? It's two different scenarios, correct. But they both come to have the same purpose. Trust. You trust him with a secret that could determine your fate, and he can't even tell you what you already know. Is that true friendship? _

_Give him time . . ._ she muttered as she opened her eyes, standing out of the water._ "Give him time . . . and he'll come to._

_I hope you're right. But when he hurts you more than he could ever come to realize Taisho,_ The voice sighed. _Don't say I didn't tell you to be careful. I'm not always going to be there to help you._

Taji sighed in relief as the voice died away just as silently as it had come. How often had she had these talks that often led her to the brink of tears? Her youkai was overly dramatic, and paranoid, she thought. But her father said, that on life and death matters, when it had a nudge something was wrong, always make sure to check and see nothing was wrong. Taji had heard about numerous times when her father thought he was endangering her mother and himself by allowing Kagome to become so close to him. Even though he tried to stop it, it was almost impossible to ignore, and after a while, he succombed to her cries, and returned to the nearly fatal friendship that always led to him saving her, and then later on becoming one with the dirt.

Taji giggled. She had only witnessed the punishment once, but she always knew when it happened. Her mother and father was taking her and her brother's shopping for clothes to wear to the business dinner held in honor of her cousin being promoted. Her father and her brothers were waiting outside as her and her mother tried on matching dresses.

_"Mommy!" She whined, flattening down her ears. "I don't like it."_

_Kagome smiled. "Taji? Why not?" She asked as she flattened her tail between her legs and frowned when it was still noticable to youkai eyes._

_"It's too . . . pretty. " She exagerated the last word, letting it roll of her of her lips like it was disgusting._

_Kagome fought back a laugh as she reached over and tweaked her daughters ears. "Are you sure? The dress makes you look beautiful."_

_"But mommy, I don't want to be prettier than you!" Taji whined, her lips quivering like she was going to cry. Kagome, touched by the confession, crouched down in front of Taji and kissed her forehead._

_"Taji dear . . .you and I are equal. You are a mini version of me, and I desire you to be prettier than me, to show the young men what to expect when you are older." Kagome winked. "And to tick your father off."_

_Taji giggled and dashed a small hand across her face. "Really?"_

_Kagome hugged her. "Really."_

_Taji still looked disturbed. "But . .. they are too far from our knees. Daddy never lets us wear anything far from our knees." She commented as Kagome stood up. Kagome shrugged._

_"Yes, I know. But your father needs to loosen up." Kagome grabbed her hand and with a gentle tug, pulled Taji out of the dressing room. InuYasha and the boys gawked for a minute before InuYasha began growling._

_Here it comes . . . _

_"Wench . . . go back and both of you take those off!" He barked. _

_Kagome's, who tail was now standing straight out with her growing anger, growled. "InuYasha, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the dress!" _

_InuYasha blushed. "You know damn well why you can't wear that dress where other people can see you." _

_Kagome snorted. "Do you mean people or men?" _

_"What's that supposed to mean?" _

_"That your a baka." _

_"Wench . . . take it off." _

_"And what's the reason Taji can't wear hers?" Kagome said, pointing at her daughter. _

_InuYasha scoffed. "There will be young men there two. Would you rather me be in jail, or home with you?" _

_"Noone's going to . . . "_

_"I will blow that building up as well as this one Kagome . . . "InuYasha threatened with a sharp snarl. "Take it off." _

_"No."_

_"Wench . . ." InuYasha bared his fangs in obvious irritation, but didn't make a move as to physically threaten her. "Go and take it off now." _

_"InuYasha . . . "_

_"Oh hell . . . "_

"Sit boy!"

Taji laughed for the rest of the night. And they did get the dresses too. But, the party wasa disaster. It seems that many people were looking at her mother and herself. Well . . . InuYasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga and destroyed half of the building. But, with a couple of phone calls, the news cast reported that the oven exploded.

Taji sighed as shelathered up her hair, running her fingers through the soft silvery strands as the water began to make her skin numb. She rinsed her hair out, proceeded to take a shower, and stepped out of the stall. Wrapping a towel around her chest, and not bothering to wrap up her hair, she gathered her clothes and left the bathroom. Walking into her room, she smiled and closed the door behind her as she entered. Pivoting, she stopped dead in her tracks as the intruder's face exploded in color and his eyes almost popped out of his head.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Sora watched as she shuffled out of the room after excusing herself. With a sigh, he heard the bathroom door close with a loud moan and he stood up and stalked out of the kitchen. He didn't know why he was walking around, but he found himself in the living room. Sitting on one of the couches, his gaze fell to the picture on the table.

A picture of her, her brothers and another woman who he guessed to be here grandmother were all smiling in the picture. Taji, who's smile was radiant like the morning sun, looked the happiest out of all of them. He envied her happiness, how her family was so understanding, and the love they shared for each other. Taking his gaze off of that picture, he stared at the picture that was sitting next to it. A young man and a young woman were in the picture, holding hands and grinned shyly. They looked like they were at the beach, and Sora could see two young boys playing behind them. He frowned at the odd clothes the father and the two young boys were wearing.

Eyes widening as he looked at the young woman, he stared into her face as he picked up the picture. Was it Taji? His gaze fell to her stomach. No, this must be her mother. It was amazing how Taji looked just like her mother. Her smile, her body shape, she was a complete mirror image, and it just made him wonder just how different this family was. _This had to be an old picture . . . she must be pregnant with Taji here. _

Putting the picture back where he found it, he stood up and stalked out of the room. Following natural instinct, he went upstairs and opened the first door that he found. The room, which was a red color with black borders, had pictures of models all over it, and it had a couple of games and game systems. Closing the door back quickly, he could only guess the door on the other side of the hall was the twin brothers. Passing the two open doors, his wandering led him to the door at the end of the hall. He could almost fell her, smell her essence from the closed door, and with a sigh, he opened the door.

Walking to the bed, he sat on it slowly as he gazed around the room. It was organized, tidy, and wonderful, just like the possesser of the room. Everything was either silver of yellow, and that amazed him as well. He looked onto the dresser directly in front of her, and he frowned at the picture that was sitting there. A picture of her and another young man, she looked happy, and embarrassed as the boy kissed her on her cheek softly.

Sora felt his heart sink, but he smiled sadly and shook his head. He wasn't even supposed to be up here anyway, but the way she looked in that picture . . . it made his heart shatter. They were friends. That was all it was going to be. He never had a chance with somebody like her, and for him to possess such strong and possessive feeling for her. _It's just plain right stupid._ He looked at the picture again. The boy looked oddly familiar, and at that thought, anger rised within him, and for a moment he almost thought he was growling.

Just then, the door flew open, and he watched as Taji stormed into the room with nothing but a towel on. He felt his groin jump as his gaze fell to her chest, then to her legs, and he shifted uncomfortably as a familiar feeling rose in him. Eyes bugging out, he nearly cried at the sight that caused him to go crazy. _Oh Kami . . ._

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

**_A_**/N

_Hello there everyone! Sorry that it took me so long to update, I have been out ever since I updated the last time. I thought I was going to be able to update everyday, but taking another look at my new schedule for the rest of the school year, as well as for the summer, I just don't think that's going to happen. Enjoy! _


	7. Adulation

**_Adulation_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji gasped as her towel fell to the floor. Sora gave a slight groan as he stood up and walked over to her. Snatching her towel so that it covered her chest, but hardly her stomach and her legs, she watched as his eyes, which was darkened considerably, licked his lips as she backed up into the door. Reaching out and moving her wet bangs out of her face, he couldn't surpess the need and the desire that yearned for her to touch him, to be a part of him forever more. "S-Sora?" 

A simple grunt was all her gave her as he stared at her neck. Taking his finger and placing it on her chin, he made her lean her neck to the side. Then he leaned down and cautiously licked her cream colored skin seductively. The gasp that come from deep in her throat, as well as her free hand that was now grabbing his shoulder, pleased him greatly as he began assaulting her senses. He heard her make a sound deep in her throat, a growl and a snarl, but it vibrated against his chest, and it caused havoc in his mind, so he continued torturing her. _What the hell are you doing?_ Something shrieked inside him.

He lightly ran his teeth over the smooth skin, laying a hand on her slim and toned stomach, feeling the muscles of training that he didn't know she endured made him shudder, made the ache in his groin grow even more demanding, and with a slight groan, she allowed him to possess her as his ki overpowered hers, made her submit to his every demand. He was willing giving her his heart, his soul, and she gladly took it, massaged it, carressed it, and gave it back. Her breath was short and ragged, and she whispered his name one more time, trying to catch his attention, frustrated the more she begged him to listen to her, the more control the both of them lost.

She did know that whenever his soft lips touched her skin, a white hot burn flashed through her, her skin now scorched with his loving kisses, he trailed them across her shoulder, her collar bone, her chin, her eye lashes, on the corner of her lips, before he returned to the sweet taste of her perfect neck. He had never done this before, but it came so natural to him, and the little sound she was make had wicked effects on his thinking, his mind was blank as something that had never rose in him boomed into something new and rare, something he didn't think he would ever understand.

_I don't think you understand that if her father finds out that you'll be one dead mothersucker!_

I don't care . . . it's too nice . . . to perfect.

She placed her hands into his shirt as her towel fell to the floor, unleashing her whole body to his lustful eyes, but didn't falter. He continued stroking her stomach, going agonzingly slow and light to the point she reached down and pressed his hand so that his palm was on her abdomen. With a slight gasp as he pushed his hips onto hers, her back touched the wood that was her door, and with a zombielike cry, she allowed him to perfect her, complete her, even when he went as to so far so place his hands on her hips.

"Taji . . . touch me." He growled, the want and need thick in his voice to the point it made her knees buckle. He caught her and balanced her as she rubbed her hands up and down his chest, her heart hammering panfully against hers, causing her breathing to worsen, and her attempts to take off his shirt more restless. When it didn't work, she just continued slipping her hands under the fabric, pressing her palms into the ripples in his abs firmly, making him lean down and lightly nibble at her neck.

Deliberately ignored the voice, he reached down and ran his fingers through her hair. _Sora! Kitohoshi! What the_ fuck _are you doing? _

_Shuddup . . ._

_No! Do you realize that her father will kill you you dumb Son of a . . ._

_I thought I told you to shut up! _

_I thought I told you you didn't deserve her! I _know_ I told you that she will never ever be with you! Get of f of her! You _saw_ the damn picture! Get the _fuck_ off of her! _

He paused fora moment, and could clearly hear her pants, and the slight whine she gave as she tried to step back, only for him to lock her in between her and the wall. She shuddered lightly and whispered something that didn't make sense as she nuzzled her face in his neck, her breathing ragged and uneasy. What was he doing? He didn't even remember getting up, but he did remember what the sight she gave him caused within her. Shaking his head and stepping back, he could see the slight disappointment in her eyes as she stared at him."Sora?"

He didn't say anything, just walked over to the dresser and picked up the picture that sat in the mirror. Smiling sadly, he shook his head and bit back the tears that were rising within him, not knowing that she could smell them, missing when she grimaced and gave a puppy like whine. "How could I forget? You're already commited."

"Commited? Sora . . . I---"

"Taji . . . I'm sorry for what I just did. I can see here, that maybe you aren't supposed to return the feelings that I have for you."

"Sora? Wait . . . what did you---"

He sighed sadly and put the picture down, giving up the battle and allowing the tears to reach his eyelashes, frustrated when they wouldn't fall. "Taji . . . I think that maybe . . . " He glared at the picture with a sad expression, and also, with envy. What picture did he have? Why wouldn't he let her see the picture? Why could she say anything?

"Sora . . . I . . . what just happened . .. it . . . I . . . "

Sora shook his head as she placed the picture down, the image on the wood, away from his heartbroken gaze. "It's okay. You deserve better, and I could never give you what he could. He has money, and popularity . . . everything you want in life . . . everything I don't have."

Taji was speechless. She watched as he walked over to her, and kissing her on her forehead, he gently nudged her aside and walked out the door. A moment later, she heard the backdoor close. With a scowl placed on her face, she stomped over to her closet. Didn't he realize that what he was doing to her caused her to almost lost control? To almost sink her teeth into his perfect skin, making him hers forever? She put on a bra and some underwear.

Snatching out a long dress that was designed like a pink and white striped polo shirt, and tugged it over her shoulders and pulled her hair out of the collar. Looking out the window, she watched him walk away from her sight, not looking back. His hurt was a palpable thing, it was impossible to ignore the tears that stung her nose, and her heart.Wanting to hop out of that window and go after him, the shaking of the house and her brother's bellowing stopped her, as well as the growl that escalated at they neared her room.

Trying to hurry and lock the door, she succeeded,and yelped when they almost caved it in. She could smell their anger, their animosity as they searched for the boy that caused this change in their little sister's scent. She yelped when they finally burst inside, breaking her lock as well as cracking the door. Flexing their claws, they glanced around. Kuro sighed. "What the hell happened in here?"

Aka snorted. "Yeah sis. Where the hell is he?"

Taji chuckled nervously. "Where is who?"

Kuro sniffed the air, and scowled. "Oh hell Taji . . . tell me it's _not_ who I think it is . . . "

Aka, who didn't catch it at first, went as to so far to go and sniff his sister's neck, right where he kissed her. Scoffing as his face twisted into a snarl, he raised a claw at her and pointed. "Taji! You were going to do _that_ . . . . with _him_?"

Taji's eyes watered over as she looked away from her brothers, who gave a guiltstricken, "Oi!" And hurried to her. Walking away, she picked up the picture that he set down, and what she saw was more than she could bear.

_He . . . he think's I'm commited to . . . to Kazuki?_

_Maybe it's better this way. Maybe it's better if you stay away from him. Let him believe what he wants._ A voice answered. _He doesn't know what you are . . . and maybe it's better if he doesn't know. _

_But . . . what happened . . . I could smell it . . . feel it . . . _

_You felt desire. You smelt lust. You never saw anything about love. Let him go Taji. Let him go. _

Taji crumpled to the ground and started crying. _It's for the best. _

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Kazuki whistled in the air as he slowly stalked to the Taisho's home. Running a claw over the delicate petal of the bouqet of roses he had for her, he sniffed it curiously. Wrinkling his nose, he stepped on the porch and stopped in midstride when he went to knock on the door. That smell . . . it set his insides aflame, and send his youkai blood into a boiling fit, until another stench drifted to him. 

This one, not so feminine, and something that he should have never traced on the house, made him growl deep in his throat as he let himself in and stomped into her room. Her hurt made him grimace, the salty smell of her tears caused him to whine and pick up the pace as he walked into the room. Shuffeling past the two brothers as they stared down at her with confusion, he kneeled beside her, smoothes her hair, rubbed her back, and whispered soothing things in her ear. "Taji? What happened?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but the pain that rose within her was choking her, and with a cry, she threw herself into his arms and sobbed. It shot the two brother's a look, asking for an explanation, they shrugged and frowned as they gave him a dark look, telling him not to try anything. Rolling his eyes, he pulled her back by her shoulders and placed the roses in her hand. "It's okay. You don't have to talk about it. Just . . . let's get you out of this house."

She smiled sadly at the roses, and with a yelp of surprise as he lifted her up, she tossed the bouqet on the bed as he opened the window and hopped on the roof. Hopping towards the harbor, she sighed as she laid her head on his chest, feeling the warmth as a smile rose to her features, despite the aching void so deep in her heart. "Where are you taking me?"

His worry wasn't something easy to ignore. His youkai called out to hers, and his youki covered hers, massaging it, seeking to sooth it with a possessive feriocity that startled her. The young boy that she knew ever since she was young, the young man that always sought to make her happy, he was different, yet he was the same. But the feeling she had for him when she was young? Did they all go away? Or did she force herself to forget them? When did she do something like that?

_When you met Sora. And now, you must force yourself to forget your feeling for him. _

_Feelings? I never had feelings . . . for Sora Kitohoshi. _

The voice snorted._ No matter how I warned you, you did. And now look what happened. He would have been better off if you had just let someone else volunteer to be his guide. But_ no-o-o-o. _You_had _to be Robobitch._

_Shuddup._

Taji looked up to find Kazuki looking down at her, a soft expression in his gaze. Even though it was about 2 in the afternoon, his amber eyes darkened and he gave a slight growl as he kissed her on the forehead.

She felt a shock go through her, and she felt her youkai become angry, growling, but she fought it back, and smiled sadly as he sat down and placed her on his lap. Laying her head back, she closed her eyes as they sat on the corner of a city building, letting the waves from the beach crashing against the shore give her an odd piece of calm, and letting the rumbling sound from his throat soothe her to the point she was practically sleepy. It was obvious he cared for her. But why didn't she return his affections anymore? She had never been kissed, never been touched in a way that she didn't allow, and yet, he was willing to allow himself to be whatever she wanted and needed, and she had the odasity not to return the affection?

Pushing back the absolute outrage that the human and youkai were throwing at her, she allowed him to wrap his arms around her, allowed him to whisper a simple phrase that would change her life forever. But before she could assess them in the deepest recesses of her mind, fatigue rolled over her weak body stronger than she anticipated, and she yawned and closed her eyes, mumbling something that strove to hurt his heart more than it hurt him himself.

Did she know how vulnerable she was when she was sleeping? Did she know how everything she did, even the dark look she often gave her brothers, seemed so perfect, so pure, that he wondered if she was a miko herself? He had known what no other could know, understand. He knew the family's secret, knew her limits, and treasured her, yet it was obvious that she cared for a pathetic human? Had she forgotten about him, the promise that she made to him when they were just pups?

Smoothing her hair so that it caught the sunlight, she moaned and pushed her head into his hands. Smiling sadly as he gazed down at the young girl that he knew and loved so well, he fought the desire to awake her so he could gaze into her beautiful face. Bringing her closer to him as she shivered slightly he pressed his nose into her hair, taking a deep breath, enveloping herself in her scent as his sense went haywire, and he allowed himself to go as to so far to graze his fangs over her neck, when he stopped short. Bringing his lips back into a snarl, he scooted back so that his rage didn't have him make a mistake a drop her, and he shook her gently, though a little gruffer than he wanted to.

Blinking her eyes in confusion, she looked at him, her amber orbs dark with sleep, and she yawned, showing her pearly white fangs. "K-Kazuki?"

"Him . .. "He growled as he placed her on the ground and paced back and forth. Cracking his knuckles, he sniffed the air, shot her a dark look, and then began pacing again. "I'll kill 'em."

"What? Who?"

"That . . . that human that dared to touch you . . . now you reek of his scent . . . of his arousal . . . I'll kill him . . . "

Taji gasped. "K-Kazuki? It's not like that! Really!"

"Really? Then why do you smell like him?" He stopped pacing and placed his hands on his hips as she broke the connection as their eyes connected.

"I . . . We . . . I don't want to talk about it." She said as tears rose to choke her. "It's for the better." She mumbled.

Kazuki sighed and looked off into the distance. _He . . . he stole my woman's heart. If I have to kill him to get . . . to get Taji back . . . I will, by whatever means possible. _

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid,_ stupid! 

_I thought I told you to shut up? _

_Keh! If I didn't pipe up when I thought you'd take control, you'd be one sorry mother---_

_I get your point. _

Sora sighed as he sank down onto the sleeping mat. Traces of his yearning for her touch was still evident in his clothing, and Sora really didn't care, as long as he was far away from her. He didn't know what just happened, and he was glad he stopped himself before he made a big mistake. He wondered why his father didn't look for him, didn't even care that he had been gone for so long.

_Keh! Don't think about that! Just think about a complete ass you just were---_

_Shut the hell up! I made a mistake! But you saw what happened! You saw her body . . . her legs . . . her _hips

_Like hell I did! But _I _didn't go licking her like a damn lollipop, did I? _

_So what? Just why am I fighting with you? _

_Cause you're a damn shame Kitohoshi. You're a damn shame. _

Sora winced and snorted as he refused to comment to the voice in his head. Having a headache that forced to knock him out cold, he lit the fire, and scooted as far as he could to it. He could see that she didn't have a problem with what he was doing, and also, it was evident that she was disappointed, and a little annoyed when he stopped, but she was commited, and her being led off that easy . . . he felt guilty because she belonged to another, and she could never be with him anyway.

Shaking his head as a rabbit whipped by, he reached over and picked up a bag of potato chips that she had brought to him before. Opening the bag, he popped one in his mouth as he wiggled his toes in the sheets that he was sitting down on. He was so bored, being separated from her was harder than he thought, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he hurt her, the look in her eyes when he left without looking back, he felt a part of him breaking, and he had a feeling a part of her did too. Not wanting her to suffer like she was now, he looked up into the sky.

It was only the 2 in the evening. The sun was was nerve-rackingly hot, and to make things even close, he had lit a fire. Standing up, he changed his clothes, threw dirt over the fire, and shuffled out of the Forest that he was encamped in.

_Well . . . my first time in Tokyo after weeks of captivity._ He smiled sadly. _Let's see if anything changed. _

_Pitiful._ A voice grumbled in his head.

_Yup._

He walked the streets of Tokyo aimlessly, trying to hide from the world that his soul, his spirit felt as if it was being drained away from his body the farther he went from her house. Turning the corner, he fought the desire to turn around as she shoved his hands in his pocket and ignored the stares from different children that attended his school. Not understanding what they saw so different from him, he stopped at the corner as he waited for the light to change. To young girls, who skirts were especially little, stopped next to him, talking about an even that was to happen at the school.

"Yes, and I want to go with Hojou! Think about it. Nezumi and Hojou going to the prom together . . . it'll be perfect!" The brunette one shrieked, clapping her hands together.

The other one rolled her eyes. "Well . . . I want to go with one of the the Taisho twins. One of them are in all of my classes, so I get to see him everyday, even though he didn't come to school today. That's odd. I guess because his parents isn't home." The other one said, this one with dirty brown hair.

"How do you know?" The brunette asked.

"My parents work with the company that they work for. " She said with a shrug. "It's top secret. All I can tell you, is that it maintains the law that was around ever since 500 years ago."

The brunette, who looked completelt puzzled, crossed the street without commenting to her friend. Sora followed soon after, walking slower than the two because his interest in their conversation was now lost. Sighing as his shoulders slumped, a car beeped and he looked behind him into a limo. Groaning, he watched as the window in the back rolled down, and his father's exhausted face came into view. "Well, well, well . . . " He growled. "Look what the wind blew in."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Nyoko No Taisho drummed her fingertips on the coffee table as she frowned deeply. The visitor sitting in front of her was completely unusual. His scent held that of a great youkai, the tai-youkai of the United States. He held a firm look on his face, that of completely concentration, and she raised her eyebrow as she tried to understand the question. She wiped her face with a tired hand. "So let me get this straight." 

"Okay."

"You want one of my, well, my father's hunters,"

"That's right."

"To kill a human?"

"Right."

"Why?"

"Isn't this confidential?"

"Another thing you may fail to realize, we slaughter youkai, who like you, prey on the humans and endanger the survival of the youkai. My father's job is to maintain order, and he will do just that."

"Well, can you make an exception?"

Nyoko felt her temper soar. Clearing her throat to fight down the desire to knock this man's head off, she kept her expression blank, hardly mirroring the comflict that she held inside. Shaking her head as she stared at him with a quiet curiousity, it was the best she could do instead of uttering the question he was dreading she'd ask. Shrugging since she didn't have the time of day to grate on his nerves, she waved off his request with a flick of her wrists.

"This is completely and utterly infuriating. How dare you mock my father's company?"

"Mock? I didn't mock it. I just asked that you change your law."

Nyoko growled menacingly. trying to warn the ignorant youkai that he was overstepping his boundaries. He didn't seem to catch on. Considering the look of confusion on his face at her blantant show of irritation, she guessed he wasn't cunning enough to even assume the role of tai-youkai in the near future. Yup . . . a dumb one alright.

"Well, I do not understand why you request that I slaughter someone that means much to a family member of mine."

"That's the reason. He means too much. We have a past together, and that bastard has been pressing his luck."

"So, I guess you do not realize that maybe her youkai calls for him?"

"It won't. It calls for me."

"Are you so sure?"

The youkai looked a little dazed for a moment. Nyoko, who apparently understood he had not the slightest understanding of half of her family, sighed as she cleared her throat. "The young girl whose heart you seek, she has three parts to her. The human part of her heart, is also mixed with the blood of a miko. Maybe, what you feel is her natural miko aura seeking for support."

"Support?"

"When her mother was 15, that is the age when she met her father. This is the age that triggers the mental change that she, and the next generations, will experience. She is going through a devastation, something her mother had to go through, named Chikara Nanda Ai Shiteiru. Apparently, the test differs between different mikos, and I guessed Midoriko has taken a liking to her. You may think it is her youkai calling for you, but it could very well be her miko blood."

"So, your telling me that she has chosen that human?"

Nyoko shrugged. "I know not, but what I do know is that her youkai blood calls for the affection of that human. With her human blood, she is also going through something they call 'adolesence.' The mixture of the two, I understand, is not a good thing. I, however, because I am the daughter of tai-youkai, will not experience this change. My mate will be determined by my father."

"Well, I don't care." The youkai snorted stubbornly. "I want him dead, even if I have to do it myself."

"If you ever so lay a finger on that human, I will have you executed by myself personally."

"I would rather she not be with him."

"Why would you harm the human so that you yourself get killed? Then, she would be hurt to know point of ever healing. Is that what you wish? Do you wish to hurt her so?"

The youkai stood up and shuffled to the door. Looking over his shoulder, his eyes darkened menacingly as he glared at her. Eyes connecting, their youki deliberately taunting the other's, he sighed. "Why does it seem . . . that you wish for her to be with the human? Don't you wish for the legacy of pure youkai to live on?"

"I wish for that legacy, but what matters is if she does. It is in her blood to have compassion for humans, her grandmother is the reason for that. I cannot stop what a part of her needs."

The youkai shook his head. "I don't understand what you mean."

"Well, until you understand, may I at least know what my clients name?"

"Kazuki. Kazuki Nishimura."

Nyoko frowned as she watched him close the door.

_Nishimura? Why does that sound familiar?_ His burning desire to hold her, the want andevident restlessness in his eyes made her wonder just what caused these yearning for her heart. Gritting her teeth together, she bit back annoyance as she stood up and went to her father's office. Closing and locking the door behind her, she sank behind the desk and started up the computer's main data base. Clicking search and highlighting background, she nervously typed in his name. _Nishimura . . . Ah! That's why he's so familiar . . . wait a minute . . . _

She narrowed her eyes as she stared at the information in front of her. _Oh no . . ._

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

**_A/N_**

_There will be a change of plans. I'll be able to update basically ever other day. I think that'll be better, or if each day I'll update a different story. I'll start that process next week. So on Monday, **Genuine Desires: Unity** Will be updated, then on Tuesday, **Covetousness 2 : Discoveries** with be updated, and I'll keep going in that order . Enjoy! _


	8. Severed Camaraderie

**_Severed Camaraderie_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"Can anybody tell me the formula to find the area of a right triangle---" 

The class hummed with curiosity as the door opened slowly witha groan and in stepped their classmate. Gasps echoed around the classroom as he slowly sauntered to his seat. Taji deliberately refused to look at him, knowing her heart would break; instead, she focused on her math work instead.

The teacher, however, stared at Sora for a couple of seconds, before mumbling a greeting, shaking his head, and continuing the lesson. Noone was paying attention. Everybody was just staring at the figure as he unpacked his things. Staring forward, ignoring the whispers and passing of notes and eyes filling with tears, he tapped his fingers on the desk, making a rumble that grated on Taji's nerves; but she maintained her own.

Shaking his head as one girl went as to so far to catch his attention, he deliberate but his back to her, trying to tell her to leave him alone. His head was killing him, and he could hardly see out of one of his eyes. His stomach felt as if it was own fire, and even worse, he had cuts, bruises and scratches all over his body. Many children, the 'foreign' ones with the odd color hair and piercing eyes, wrinkled their noses and sort of coughed when he walked by, he noticed. But he didn't care.

What was going through his mind was anything less than human thoughts. Imagining himself just falling off the roof, he was on the brink of actually throwing himself out the window, when he heard his name.

This time, it was a soft whisper. It was gentle, as if trying to soothe him, yet it was angry at the same time. Over and over it called, until he cut his eye at the young girl. "I . . . can we talk? After class?"

Shrugging despite the emotion rising in his chest, he nodded his head and continued to stare out the window.

After a brief hour of lecturing about studying your notes, the class was dismissed, and Taji was waiting for him outside. He stopped beside her, watched as she fidgetted with the hem of her shirt and bit her lip in a nervous kind of manner. When she moved her head, he thought he saw a shadow for 'ears'. He blinked and they were gone. Shaking his head, he watched as she cleared her throat and began talking nervously.

"Sora . . . about what happened?"

He smiled sadly. "Yea . . . how are you and Kazuki doing? Is everything alright?"

"Yea . . . no . . . we're not a couple. That's what I was trying to get you to understand."

Sora shrugged. "Not yet anyway."

"Excuse me?"

Sora smiled and leaned his back on the wall, watching the feet of hundreds of kids shuffle through the hallway to their next class. "I mean, you two are commited. It's completely wrong for me to interfere."

"Me and Kazuki . . . it was a long time ago. I didn't even remember!"

"But you do now."

"Sora . . . I don't want to be with Kazuki because . . . let's just say that things will get complicated."

"What do you mean?"

She rubbed the toe of her shoe on the floor. "My family line gets more in-depth than you think. If I be with him, that means that I'll have to move away."

"What's stopping you?"

"You."

Sora looked awestruck for a moment, then he shrugged and looked at her. Her eyes were dark with tears, glazed over with sadness as his annoyance outwitted her guilt. He was amazed at just how manipulative, yet innocent she could be at the same time. "If I'm stopping you," He said, pushing himself off the wall and jamming his hands in his pockets. "Then don't talk to me anymore."

She watched his back become smaller and smaller as he walked down the hallway. She ignored the stares of humans, hanyou and youkai that walked by, and even went as to so far to growl at a young man when he made a show of standing there and staring at her dead in the face.

She had never been treated this way in her whole life, and despite the ache in her chest, she was angry. She was angry that he wouldn't listen, angry that he was too stubborn to understand that she didn't want Kazuki, that what she really desired just pushed her away from him.

_I_ told _you to let him go._ Her youkai shot at her. _But you didn't want to listen._

_But . . . he's my friend. We can stay friends . . . right? Should I go after him? _

_No! No. If you stay friends, that's only going to hurt you and him more. The best thing you can do, is let him go. _

_Why do I have to let him go? Why do I?_

_First of all, he is different. This would never sit well with your father. Second of all, your brother's would pick with him everyday, cause him more pain than his father ever could. Third, you're welcoming a fragile human that has never been in contact with a youkai before. He doesn't know what you are. He deserves to know. And for that, you two can never be together. _

_Why? I don't understand, Mother and Daddy, they were different. And look at them. _

_That's different, and you know it. You're practically engaged to the future tai-youkai of the United States. He'll be able to protect you, and face it : he has everything that you dreamed of as a little girl. Why won't you listen to me? _

Taji bit her tongue and began walking down the hall to find Taura. Turning the corner, she saw her friend at her locker and quickened her pace to her. Their next class was together, and Taji didn't want to be alone, not now, not ever. _I won't listen . . . because your lying. _

_Why would I lie to myself. It's common sense. Nyoko could tell you that. Face it. You two don't belong together. _

_Maybe . . ._ she bit her lip as she stopped at Taura's locker. _Maybe you're right. Maybe._

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Nyoko stared at her cousin through narrowed eyes as she sadly scribbled notes on her paper. She was to go over Taji's house, and stay for three days, or until her father returned with Taji's brother from punishing a certain youkai who threatened to tell police of their existence if they didn't pay him a million yen. She watched as Taji sighed and shook her head as she slammed the pencil on the table. 

"Why do you put yourself through this?"

Taji rubbed her temple with her forefingers." Through what?"

"Through the priviledge of choosing a mate? It would be so faithful if your father chose who you bear children with."

Taji looked surprised for a moment. When had her cousin been so open with her? "My father would never do that, and I can't believe yours did."

Nyoko shook her head. "It's my father nature. It's ridding me of the heartbreak your experiencing now, and ensures the legacy of youkai."

"Yes, but it doesn't help the legacy of love."

"Am I talking to the hanyou or the human?"

Taji giggled as she shrugged and closed the book laying on the library table. Nyoko took this chance as a couple of kids pakced up their things and left. Shaking her head as she regarded her cousin for a moment, when Taji picked up her pencil once again, Nyoko made a show of snatching it out of her hand and holding it in between her forefingers. "Humans are do weak, and fragile. What do you do when one of them needs help but is too stubborn to ask for it?"

Taji reached for her pencil, and clucked her tongue when Nyoko whisked it away from her reach, twisting it in her fingers, idly taunting her without really realizing it. Taji watched the pencil through narrow eyes. "Then I take things into my own hands."

Nyoko fought back a grin that irritated the corners of her lips. "But we youkai are not to meddle in human affairs. You know that, correct?"

"Yes, but who are they to tell me how to live my life?"

"And who are you to interfere in someone elses?"

Taji felt her anger rise as she watched Nyoko toss the pencil back and forth between her hands. Trying to show her cousin she didn't care about the kami-ridden pencil, she put her head down on her forearms and quirked her ears as a group of girls began giggling. "I don't know where you are going with this. Are you telling me to leave him alone?"

Nyoko shrugged offhandedly, making a show of twisting the pencil in the air as she casually played with it. Meaning to annoy her cousin, show her that patience was a trait she apparently didn't have, she missed the growl that surfaced on her lips, but in return, put the pencil in between her ear that the concealment had placed.

Shaking her head, she stared her cousin in the eye as the librarian opened the shades that were next to them. Her eyes narrowed, as neko instinct, to the change of light, and in return, she looked around cautisouly as her cousin leaned in closer. "Who am I to tell you what to do?"

"But . . . your the daughter of the tai-youkai of the Inu-youkai heritage. You have more authority than I do."

Nyoko shook her head as she shrugged. "Authority does not matter my dear cousin. Hasn't your birth taught you that?"

"My birth? You're barely older than I am---"

"Be not a baka and finish that sentence." Nyoko said as she dusted off her peach skirt. "Sometimes, the answer to a simple statement can only be uncovered if the situation unfolds itself."

"What?"

"My, my. Father told me that your father shall always be a baka." Nyoko chuckled. "I see the gene has past?"

"Oh, and how about the nickname my dad gave to your father?"

Nyoko smiled. "What of it?"

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Sora sighed as he finished the last of his chores and slowly walked into his room. Locking the door behind him, he layed on the mattress with a thump as he turned his head and disregarded the singing of the birds that were outside his window. With a disgusted grunt, he took off his shoe and threw it at the window, scaring them off. 

_Well, good way to ventilate your anger. Say, why don't you break the window so he can break his foot off in your ass for me? _

_Shut up. Just . . . die and whither away, I don't care. Just shut up . . . please. _

_Well? Is that what you wish? You know you can die of depression right? Just let me know, and I can help you. _

_Are you serious?_

_Hell no. You die, and I die too. Think about how it would look to Tokyo. Think about how your mother would feel. Think about how she would feel. _

_Taji . . . _

Sora breathed deeply, trying to find a whiff of her luring aroma that sent him off the edge all day and everyday. He wanted to feel the heat of her body one more time, just feel her softly utter his name, a whisper meant to silence his animosity, but only fared to make it far stronger, far brutal than anything he could have imagined.

Rolling to his side, he saw his shadow disppear as the clouds blocked the sunlight from his room, and he heard the fluttering of the birds wings as they flew away to find sunlight, to find warmth. Sora winced as he heard the door close, and instinctly pulled his knees to his chest as his stomach felt as if it was on fire once again. He bit back the nausea that fought to rise and whined softly as his whole body erupted in painful tremors and caused him to bit his tongue to keep from calling out.

Shaking his head, he opened his eyes, and could almost see her standing there, watching him, her eyes filled with concern, and bright with an innocence he had only seen on T.V. She was by far better than any model or actor he had ever seen, with a personality to match, she was almost a different species that were created for people just like him.

_But she was whisked away at a young age. She is commited Kitohoshi . . . she can never be yours._

Sora accepted the awful truth, and he accepted the wash of hurt that flowed over him after the statement was made. He never understood how awful it felt to have something snatched away from him when he really cared for it. He never understood why she perplexed him the way she did, he never understood just how crazy she drove his mind, his body, and that moment in her room was almost more than he could bear, just thinking about it.

Biting his tongue, he fought back uprising feelings of an extreme loss that threatened to choke him and send him into a vortex that could swallow him and rid of him of existence forever. Reaching over and picking up the reciever, he dialed a number that he never understood why it had even come to mind.

"You have reached the office of Detective Nakabashi Hiromiya. Please hold as we direct you to him."

Sora drummed his fingers on the bed as the phone rang for what seemed like light years until a man with a gruff, stern voice answered breathless. "Detective Nakabashi. Office of Social Security of Toyko. How can I help you?"

Sora glanced around nervously before he talked. "H-Hey. This is Kitohoshi . . . Sora Kitohoshi. How are you?"

The detective sound surprised. Sora heard rustling in the background. "Kitohoshi? Well I'll be damned. How are you?"

"Good, good. I was wondering if I can ask you a couple of questions?"

The dective didn't answer for a while. "Sure. You want me to come there?"

Sora swallowed hard. "No . . . I'll be there in ten minutes."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

**_A/N_**

_Due to the site being down Monday and Yesterday, I will post two chapters for each of the stories. Then, the schedule will return to it's previous 'shift'. Sorry for the inconvenience. Enjoy! _


	9. Vocation

**_Partition of the Heart_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji grunted as her mother landed a good kick to her stomach, sending her daughter sprawling back into the grass, only to retaliate with a great swing of Tetsuyugo. Taji took her Twin Blade swords and parried the attack, catching her mother off guard as she retreated a couple of steps, trying to catch her breath. Her mother, whose tail was wagging happily, had a burst of energy Taji hadn't seen for years, and this was one of the many times she failed her goal of defeating her mother. Kagome swung her weapon in her hand and lunged at Taji with the dull side of her blade, meaning to end this here and now. 

_Oh no she doesn't ._

Taji waited until she was prepared to swing before she crossed the two swords over her chest. Kagome stopped midstride, smiling to herself as Taji's sword glowed with a pink aura. Sweat poured down her face as a bright light erupted from her blade before a beam shot out with a sharp sound, making Kagome press her ears to her head as a barrier formed around her and deflected the attack, just as Taji fell to one knees, dropping her swords as she fought to catch her breath. "You did good." Kagome praised. "Just work on that beam I taught you a little more and you'll master it."

"Why---does---it---take---so---much---energy---?" Taji sputtered as she bent over and began a fit of coughing.

"Because," Kagome said as she patted her back with concern. "It's a technique that takes concentration and skill. For you to use it after being knocked from one end of the backyard to the other . . . you truly are your father's daughter."

Taji smiled as she rose to her feet, wobbling a little but picked up her weapons and followed Kagome into the house. "Mama, where's Daddy?"

Kagome shrugged. "He was supposed to be over your grandmother's house, but she said he left about twenty minutes ago."She sighed. "Knowing that baka he may very well be arrested."

Taji giggled. "Daddy does have a temper."

Kagome sighed as she dropped her sword into the scabbard and set it high over the fire place, before reaching for Taji's and doing the same thing. "Yea . . . same as when we were younger. Hasn't changed a bit." She stared sadly at Tetsusaiga, the great sword that had protected both of them.

Taji sighed as she laid her head on her mother's shoulders, her gaze dropping to her brother's swords that hung above theirs, but under her father's. Teijoshuto, the sword that was forged from Inuakamori's own fang when he had first turned 16, gleamed brightly under his brother's. Seijishuto, Inukuromori's sword, seemed dull because of the period of time it was last used. Taji sighed and ran her finger along the scabbard.

"Mama, when you and daddy were fighting . . . did you ever fear you were going to lose him?"

Kagome smiled. "Yes of course. I didn't like him fighting, but I knew that it was something he had to do. I never stopped worrying that he would some home, so I had him promise to come back home."

"Why?"

"Your father is never one to break a promise Taji. Always remember that."

Taji watched as her mother muttered she was going to take a shower before she walked out of the room. Taji continued to stare at the weapons. They had a strong, proud feeling that battled her youki, and at the same time soothed it as she ran her claw along each one. "Oi! What are you doing touching my sword?"

Taji snatched her hand back and scowled at Kuro. "Oi! I thought I told you not to sneak up on me like that!"

Kuro grinned. "You're a hanyou remember? There's no such thing as sneaking. If you weren't touching my stuff then you would have heard me enter the room."

Taji bit back her retort and watched as Kuro pulled down his sword, unsheating it and swinging it in a couple of wide arcs. "It's been a while."

"What?"

"It's . . . It's been a while since I've used this."

"You don't have to."

"I know . . . ever since Aka's taking the hunter solo . . . holding it just doesn't feel the same anymore."

Taji shook her head sadly as she pulled down her twin swords. "Well . . . let's go and practice."

"Now? You're exhausted."

"I'll be fine." She smirked. "I'm a hanyou remember?"

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Detective Hiroyima stared at Sora for a few moments as the strange boy swallowed some cookies and milk. Sora, who blushed and grinned in apology, passed him back the once overflowing plate, now with one pitiful cookie sitting in the middle. "How has your father been?" Detective Hiroyima asked, chucking the cookie into his mouth. 

"He's been . . . good."

"Still a drinker?"

"You . . . you can say that."

Silence. It was something expected from all children whose case had been examined by Tokyo's Social Security of Child Affairs. But this young boy, he was different. He could have not said nothing for a couple of days straight and when it was over wouldn't complain not once. Detective Hiroyima remembered when Sora's mother had died. He had pulled the young boy to the side for a couple of questions.

_Sora dashed his hands repeatedly as he watched the ambulance carry his deceased mother out of the house. Biting back the desire to scream as a emptiness settled in his soul, it was soon replaced by fear as he stared at his father, whose expression held no emotion, no mourning, no grief. Detective Hiroyima kneeled in front of the boy. "How are you?"_

_"I . . . I want my mommy." Sora had wailed._

_The detective nearly cried. "I'm . . . I'm sorry about your mother. Do you know how this happened?"_

_Sora had said no. He shook his head very eagerly, his gaze dashing from the detective to his father every couple of seconds. The detective realized this. "Did he do it?"_

_"What?"_

_"Did he? Did he do this to your mother?"_

_"I . . . yea . . . no . . ." Sora began to cry again. Detective Hiroyima had taken him out for the rest of the day, taken him shopping and letting him have a good time._

And now, almost twelve years later, the same lost little boy was now sitting in front of him, his once burning icy blue eyes now dull with the weight of the world on his shoulders. His spiky hair was now drooping sadly. His whole demeanor held a sadness to it that kept Hiroyima from prying answers out of the boy right then and there. Sora shifted uncomfortably as he raised his eyes to stare at Hiroyima.

"How long has it been since you've seen your mother?"

"A long time." Sora answered quickly.

Hiroyima sighed and shook his head. "Is there anything you specifically need?"

Sora narrowed his eyes. "What? You don't have time for your cases anymore?"

"Did I say that?" Nakabashi rubbed a tired hand over his face. "It seems you don't need my help."

"I do."

"Then what is it?"

"Do you have any experience with women?"

The detective coughed. "Come again?"

Sora blushed. "Do you have any experience with women?"

Detective Hiroyima could have died. Holding back his laughter as Sora played with his fingers nervously, he steadied his voice before talking. "What do you mean 'experience'?"

"You know . . . "Sora said, making a sweeping gesture with his hands.

"Kami! Kitohoshi you're not thinking about what I think you're thinking about---"

"NO!" Sora bellowed, his face turning a burgandy color as he tried to keep his expression calm. Detective thought his face was priceless, and began to laugh hysterically. "I knew you were no help. "

Hrioyima held his hand out to stop Sora, though his laughing didn't falter. "No . . . wait. I'm sorry. What did you mean?"

"Well, there's this girl. And she's . . . I dunno. This is stupid."

"No, it's not. Now finish the story."

"Well, she's different. Special . . . But she's basically engaged."

"Got a ring?"

"No . . . but---"

"Then she's not engaged."

Sora sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. Wincing as the picture flashed into his mind again, he gritted his teeth together. "It was a promise between them two a long time ago, and apparently the guy wants her to live up to it."

"Does she want to?"

"How would I know?"

"Did you even give her a chance?"

Sora fell silent as his shoulders slumped a little bit. Shaking his head as he stared out a nearby window, he frowned at the setting sun. "That's not the problem. The problem is that even though she's basically with him . . . she sort of messed around with me."

"And you're not happy about this?"

"It's not that, it's just that . . . I dunno. I wouldn't want her to do that to me, and she's far too beautiful to stay with one person. Whose to say she won't cheat on me?"

The detective wrinkled his nose. "Listen. If she doesn't want to be with the guy, she's not cheating. A promise, isn't a commitment. Never let anyone tell you that."

"But---"

"Talk to her about it."

"He makes her happy. He gives her everything that I can't. How am I supposed to let someone as angelic as her have the poor conditions that I have to give to her? I couldn't do that . . . she's too perfect; it's not right."

"Angelic? Perfect? Me thinks you're in love with this girl."

Sora shrugged. He stopped staring out the window and glanced at the clock behind Detective Hiroyima. Gasping and standing up abruptly, he muttered an apology and a farewell and whisked out of the door.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Detective Nakabashi Hiroyima watched as the young human stormed out of his office, and immediately, with a flick of his wrist, he closed the door and locked it. Shutting the windows and closing the blinds, with a big sigh, he ran his hand over his face, putting down the concealment that hid his youkai. 

Sitting down on the ground with a thump, he tapped his claws on the floor as he began calculating what he's heard from the boy, new information that may seem useful to him. Detective Hiroyima is a young man, about the age of 21 with long black hair and stunning ruby eyes. He is the strictly snoopy type, always butting in and out of people's business, which led him to the police department career. After a while, with the aid of his youkai instincts, he had been able to solve different cases by the time he was 19, thus making him a very famous detective at such a young age, with the benefit of being known all over Japan.

Now stationed in Tokyo, where he planned to stay for the rest of his life, he soon found himself suspiciously interested with the case of Yuki Kitohishi. He didn't know why his curiosity was spiked by this murder, but he kept in touch with the son of the murder victim ever since that day, and there has been no leads so far about solving the case. He dug under his desk and pulled out his black mokomoko-sama, dusting it off before throwing it over his shoulder. Frowning, he walked over to the closet and pulled out an old dusted shoe box that he had been saving for over 7 years.

Opening the box, he looked at the old tattered book that he had been holding for what seemed like ages, and crouching to the floor, he carefully opened the book after he set the box down on the ground.

_Dear The Chosen, _

_I am Yuki Kitohoshi. I understand that you have found this special book, that has been written by me ever since the birth of my son. You must understand, that what has happened was planned by Kami himself, and that the wheels of fate has begun to turn. You must read the diary entrees, and when you finally understand what your life mission is, then you shall be given a gift like no other, a reward that will last until the rest of your life. _

_Do you accept to allow Kami to give you a decision whether you excel in life? Or would you rather the sacrifice of something you held dear to you be a waste; the promise you made a simple thought that you never given the heart to? _

_I've been taught that steering your life is a hard thing to do. But we have the priviledge of allowing kami to take care of that for us. Choosing your path in life is an important thing to do, because if you are human, you only have one chance to do so. You, as a mythical being, have more than one chance to do so, therefore you have more than one chance to choose the path you would want your life to take. _

_Anyhow, Kami has decided you shall be the one to protect the sky, to make sure harm does not befall the light of the world. You are like the moon, you give the stars extra energy when they are too weak to go on. My untimely death was also necesarry, and even though his heart was dark before he was born, which led to my death, I ask that you watch over my husband. Do not touch him, do not let harm befall him from my brothers. _

_Protect my family, and in return, you shall be eternally happy. _

_Sincerely,_

_Yuki Kitohoshi. _

_P.S _

_Protect the Sky and Watch over the Light of the World. _

Detective Kitohoshi turned the first page, a marked frown on his face as he began reading the entry.

_I had a dream. A dream like no other. I saw a young girl. A young girl that will follow the tragic past of her mother. A young girl, who is different from the humans of this world, yet the same of them as far as damntion. Kami has given me an option. He asked me to save the young girl. But, how do I save her? How do I save a young girl whom I do not know? _

_His answer was simple. 'Give birth unto the Sky'_

He closed the book with a frown and set it next to the box. It was all starting to piece together. Was his reward about to unfold? He hopped on his feet, making sure the office door was locked, hopped out of the window, and quickly to the security of the rooftops of Tokyo, where he began to follow a certain scent he had watched all it's life.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji snarled as Aka and Kuro walked her to her class, commenting on her unusually short skirt. "Shuddup." She warned.

"Careful baby girl." Aka cooed. "A stick might go up your---"

"Don't finish that."

"Or a bird might get stuck."

"I'm telling mama---"

"You have no proof."

The twins laughed erractically as her face turned a deep red and she walked into her class without a word. Ignoring the surprised glances of the students around her, she sat down in her seat, tugging on her skirt that she now realized was entirely too short.

She didn't so laundry last night. All her skirts were dirty, and her uncle had fallen ill, which had taken her mother to her grandmother's house. Her father had long forgotten how to use the washer machine, so she had to wear a skirt that was two years old--- and entirely too short.

She snarled angrily as Akemi smiled as her, and then frowned at her skirt. Akemi ignored the threat and focused on the teacher. Sora, who's head was bent down, didn't even seem to notice that she had walked in the classroom, and biting back the desire to turn around and say something to him, she pulled on her v-neck t-shirt, trying to pull it over her knees, which didn't work. So, with a sigh, she sat there, hoping it wasn't rising, and tried to focus on her classwork.

About an hour into class, she felt a strange new youki just above her. Naturally, a barrier invisible to humans rose around her, and the teachers and youkai turned to pin her with a stare as the class stopped for a moment. The teacher, who was a leapord youkai, muttered to the youkai and hanyou that he needs to see them after class, and aloud told the class to stop staring and finish their work, staring at Taji the whole time. But, Taji began to feel uneasy, threatened, and as the youki began to near, her barrier grew stronger, and once her miko's energy flared threateningly, causing a stir with some of the youkai and hanyous that were already staring at her.

Now, Sora raised his head to look at her, and he almost seemed confused, as if he could see the barrier. With a raise of his eyebrow, he looked out the window, frowned, and resumed his work without a word, completely missing as Taji bit her tongue to fight a retort. Who is that?

She raised her hand and asked to be excused from the class, which the teacher willingly agreed, and as she passed, muttered for her to meet with the other children after class. Taji hurried out of the room, and hopped onto a roof out a nearby window, with her hands on her hips, the wind blowing her skirt, which made her uncomfortable. "Who's there?"

The figure seemed to growl as it came from hiding behind the Central Air conductors. She scowled as her eyes raked over the figure. "Who are you?" She questioned.

The man didn't say anything as he regarded her for a moment. Leaning to the side a bit, he cocked his head and made a show of sniffing her. Mumbling something she couldn't hear, he scowled with disgust as he stared at her. "It's you then I guess. Who'd have thought?"

"What are you talking about?" Taji asked as she lunged at him without thinking, swinging as fast and hard as she could, and he parried them all, striking her without hurting her, but with enough force to be able to make room for him to counter the next move with ease. "You're a . . . "

"That's right. An inu-youkai."

"But . . . your crests." She stared at him again. "Are different."

He shrugged. "I have no time to talk about my bloodline. I think your teacher is growing suspicious. Shouldn't you get back to class Taisho?"

"Man---Wait. How did you know my name?"

"Never mind that. Do me a favor. Don't tell him I was here. Don't tell anybody I was here."

She opened her mouth to say something, but he already dived off the building.

**_

* * *

_ **

8:88:888:88:8

_

* * *

_

_A/N_

_Well, sorry it took so long, but somebody just moved into my house, and we had to move the computer,again. Once we plugged back up the computer, we couldn't go to any site other than yahoo. How ironic. I had the freedom to check my email, but nothing else. _


	10. Exhilarating Innovation

**_ExhilaratingInnovation_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

The inu-youkai paced back and forth of the living room of his house that had grown empty so long ago. Shaking his head as he tried to discern the absolute dread of the estate, he could hardly concentrate as he stared at the picture on the wall. 

Turning his back to it, he stared at his claws for a moment, scowled at them as he bared his fangs and growled at nothing in particular. Straightening his shoulders, he grinned and combed his claws through his hair. "Well . . . I never would have thought---"

He said witha wince as he cut the T.V on. He watched as the head of Japan's richest company, and the tai-youkai began making statements about expanding his company. He smiled sheepishly as he turned up the T.V, eyeing a girl that stood to his side, her head straight, her green eyes flashing, her scowl indignant and proud, and he shuddered as for a split second, it looked like she was staring straight through the T.V screen, and those piercing eyes looked striaght into his soul.

_Man . . . she has the pride of a lion and an ego of an elephant . . . but she's just a pup! _

_Basically you are too. _

_He snorted. Hardly. I am past the stage where I fend for my own thank you._

_So now you're telling me you're a petefowl? Good one. _

_What?_

_Don't think I didn't notice the way you concentrated on her. You have to admit, she is beautiful. _

_Yes, but I have heard rumors she is a mixed breed. Half inu-youkai, half neko youkai. _

_That makes her all the more special, eh? _

_Nope. Cats are bitchy. I can't deal with that. _

_And what are you? Tolerant? Keh! _

He didn't answer to that as he continued to stare at her. She seemed uncomfortable, though to human eyes you wouldn't be able to tell. Her red hair fell over her shoulders so softly and elegantly, he wondered how it would feel to touch them. Her eyes had wicked effects on his brain, and they seemed dulled and unclear by the glasses that she wore. I_ don't think she wears those often. _

_Why do you care?_

_Who said I cared? I just don't think she wears those often. _

_R-i-i-i-ght. You do realize I'm a part of you right? So may I ask why you are basically lying to yourself? _

_I'm not lying. I just don't think---_

_You've been in denial ever since she died, have you known that? _

Detective Nakabashi's eyes glazed over with sadness as he nodded his head and sighed._ Yea . . . ever since she left nothing made sense._

_Have you tried to make sense of your situtations? I mean look. You survived through the trauma. You kept up your end of the bargain, to both of them. _

_Yes . . . to my baby Sakura, and my darling Keiko. _

_Remember how Sakura used to cry when you would look at the picture of Keiko? Don't you . . . don't you miss her? _

_I . . . I do. _

_Then go and get her. _

_I . . . I can't. _

_Why? _

_She wouldn't want to see me like this. I'm not the man I was when I left her with Keiko's mother. _

_She's almost 12 now, did you know? When's the last time you've seen her? _

_I . . . what does this has to do with anything? _

_I'm trying to say, before you run off and meddle with other people's pups, take care of your own. _

_Can I do that? Would she want to see me? _

_All I can say is go and find out. _

_I . . . alright. _

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_Sora tossed and turned in his sleep as he called out to his mother over and over again. She wouldn't move, she didn't move and she would never move again. He remembered that day like yesterday, how he had cried and soon met up with Detective Nakabashi. His father held no remorse, had even went as to so far to mock him when he told her she was cold and stiff. _

"Then call an ambulance. Dont' stand here looking at me_." Sora waiting a few moments, thinking he was going to get up and start weeping and wailing like those people do on T.V, but his father didn't budge. That was when Sora opened his eyes and realized the truth. His father was a monster. _

_Running as fast as his little legs would take him, he snatched the phone off the table and ran back to his mother. Dialing 911 like she taught him to if anything ever happened, he continuously shook her frial cold body, hoping she would turn her head, or grunt, or give some indication that she was still alive, and that she was still here with her. _

_"Hello?"_

_"Hello! My mother . . . she's not moving . . . and she has a cut in her backwith blood all around her!" _

_"Okay, you must not panic. Stay with me. Is she breathing?" _

_Sora began crying. "I . . . I don't know." _

_"Has she made any movement?" _

_"I . . . I don't know you have to help her!" _

_"Don't worry, an ambulance is on it's way. Just stay with me and don't panic. Now; who's there with you." _

_"My father, and my dog." _

_"Okay. Where is your father." _

_"In the living room drinking and watching T.V." _

_"Come again?" _

_"He won't move. He's drunk." _

_"Did . . . did he hurt your mother?" _

_Sora dashed a hand across his eye as he laid his head on his mother's back, trying to hide the viscious hole from his young eyes. "I . . . I don't know. I was told to stay in my room, and I had to go pee, and then I got hungry, then I came to the kitchen, and found her like this." _

_"Are you sure you don't know if he hurt her?" _

_"Yea . . . they're here!" Sora moved the phone away from his ear just as his father walked into the room and pointed to the body. Sora gasped as he stared at the tears that streamed down his father's face, and the 'broken look he had in his eyes. _

_"Please!" Katana wailed. "You have to help her! I don't know . . . I just came home with my son from the park and we found her like this!" _

_Sora stared in disbelief as the paramedics pushed him out of the way, causing him to stumble in his father's arms. Katana picked young Sora up, and held him over his shoulder, digging his head into Sora's shoulder and weeping loudly. Sora stared at his hands in disbelief. The crimson blood of his beloved mother dripped from the palm of his hands onto the wine colored rug, where it went unnoticed. He balled his fists up, and sweared never to be like his father, never to treat anyone in the world lesser than what they are. _

_Sora whined as the dream fast forwarded to the next week, and he stood in a black suit in front of his father and other family members as the stared at the casket. Sora didn't cry, he didn't weep, didn't wail, or didn't break. He just stared, pale eyes at the mass that was taking his mother away forever. He stared at the hunk of wood that was the boundary between his heart and his soul. He watched asa part of him was being ripped away, and that in himself, caused Sora to never be the same again. _

_Sora watched as his father squeezed his shoulders tightly, and began laughing. The people around his disappeared, and he laughed shrewdly as he spun Sora around and pointed a blade at his chest. Sora stumbled back, and fell to the ground, tears streaming down his face as his father began grinning and singing a little song that Sora despised. _

It's time for the end . .

The trash has got to go.

Make room for the better things.

It's time for the end.

_Sora covered his ears and begged his father to stop, but it kept ringing through his ears, into his mind, seeped into his heart, and Sora curled into a little ball as the trees, the grass, the birds, and gravestones, everything began to mock him, bidding him farewell as his father 'made room for the better things.'_

Just as he felt a white hot burn in his stomach and looked at the blood gushing from it, he sat upright, his breathing labored and harsh as he felt around his bare sweaty chest and made an attempt to hug himself. He was glad his was in his own room. His father had gone out in the middle of the night, and Sora was absolutely sure he wasn't coming back for a long time. His father hadn't touched him, hadn't punished him or nothing. And for a while, Sora thought a change was coming.

Swinging his legs over the side as he rubbed his palms up and down his arms, he stared at the clock. It read five-thirty in the morning. With a sigh, Sora stood up and shuffled into the bathroom.

Peeling off his clothes, he turned on the hot water and stepped inside the shower. Allowing the scolding water to drense his whole body, he sighed as he lathered up, and washed himself, feeling sparkly clean when he was finished. Stepping out of the shower, he didn't bother to wrap a towel around him as he opened the window and walked away from it. He began brushing his teeth, dancing playfully at his image in the mirror before he rinsed his mouth and walked back in the bedroom, only to open his mouth to scream.

"Oh . . . _kami_ . . . _help me_ . . ."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji tossed and turned on her bed as she stared at the clock. It read twenty minutes after five in the morning, and she didn't have anything to do. She couldn't go to sleep, she hadn't been able to go to sleep for the past three weeks, and it was all _his_ fault.

She shook her head as she fixed herbaby blue spagetti string tank top and her white red and blue pocketdotted pants and hopped onto the roof of her house. Sniffing eargerly, she began sprinting across rooftops, but stopped suddenly as a familiar scent drifted to hernostrils. She glanceddown and found Mr. Katana Kitohoshi, grossly kissing aquite young woman as his hands trailed all over her body. She giggled and writhed, causing him to chuckle as heturned her her around and began kissing her neck and shoulders while seductively adding pressure to her hips.

Wrinkling her nose and snorting in disgust, Taji leaped from theroof of the building, and landed on the hotel. Looking down, her mouth gaped open as his scent with the mixture of spring rain drifted to her, and shehopped off of the side and latched onto the window sill, hoisting herself in just as he walked out the bathroom.

"Oh . . . _kami_ . . . _help me_ . . . "

Sora's face turned a deep red as he hopped onto the bed and covered himself with the blanket. "T-Taji . . . what are you doing here?"

She blushed and rubbed her toe onto the carpet. "I-I-I needed to talk to you." She stammered nervously.

Sora blushed as he stared at her physique which looked so elegant and pure in the rising sunlight. Her creamy skin glittered with health, her natural beauty so stunning her was captivated by her very presence as her innocence tugged at his heart. "About?"

"About . . . everything."

Sora sighed and pointed to the bed across from him, gesturing for her to sit. She complied, and neatly folded her hands in her lap as her cheeks darkened and she stared at her hands. Sora panicked. "What's wrong?"

"I . . . " He shifted slightly, and her gaze fell to her lap before her face darkened and she tore her eyes away. "Could you . . . like maybe . . . I . . . you . . ."

Sora made a yelping sound as he abruptly stood up and sprinted into the bathroom, giving Taji a good view of his backside. She giggled softly as he muttered things about being a complete idiot a little louder than he intended, and he came out in a pair of boxers. He sat down in front of her and held his face in the palm of his hands. "Sorry about that."

Taji waved it off. "It's okay. Now we're even right?"

Sora nodded, but her face hadn't lost the embarassed color. He smiled and didn't comment on it. "Right."

"Anyway . . . about Kazuki,"

"Taji . . . "

"I . . . I talked with him. I told him that's it's not going to work out."

"You . . . you did what?"

"I don't want to be with him." She pulled her gaze off his face and settled it to her bare feet, which she now realized were aching. She winced. "I don't have feelings for him like I thought I did."

"Taji?"

"What I'm trying to say is . . . I want to be with you Sora." She raised her eyes to look at him. "Only you."

Sora grimaced at the raw emotion in his eyes, the complete courage and confidence, as well as hope and fear. Her honey eyes were bright with anxiety, hope and he thought he saw a trickle of desire as well. Reaching out and placing his hand on top of hers, he stiffened as she took her hand in his and held it close to her heart. "I . . .Taji, I want to be with you too. It's just that . . . my father, and your whole family, it's not going to be easy."

Taji smiled sadly. "Who said everything in life was easy?"

Sora smiled as her kissed the back of his hand and nuzzled his cheek against it. "Taji . . . you'll never understand how long it's been since I've felt like this."

"I can . . . if you tell me."

"I . . . I feel happy, and not alone anymore. I haven't felt like that since . . . since my mother died."

Taji grimaced a little and sat next to him, laying a soft hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. She used to call me . . .she used to call me the 'Light of the World' or her 'Skye'. I used to think it was silly back then, but now that I think about it, that's what brightened my day."

"'Skye.' That's what your name means, doesn't it?"

"Yup. It sure does. I remember she said on the day I was born, the sun was bright, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. She said the air was fresh and crisp, children were playing, and Kami smiled down on us with a ray of light."

Taji smiled. "Oh . . . that's so sweet. My mother'sa miko you see."

"A miko?"

"Yes. She is a woman with superb spiritual power, and the strongest in the world. Well, since I'm a female, I'm a miko too."

"So you have spiritual powers too?"

"Yea . . . but I have to be careful with mines. I'm half human, half youkai; hanyou. Youkai are unpure souls, and miko are pure souls. It causes an unbalance because the unpure blood that runs through my veins is constantly fighting the youkai blood. So for instance, on the night I turn human, my miko powers are strongest. But on the night of the Red moon, it's extremely dangerous for me to use it. But in my hanyou form, it's perfectly safe, but it takes a lot of energy."

Sora scratched his still damped hair. "That seems complicated."

She shrugged. "It was when I was younger. But then I accepted what I am, and it became much easier."

"So, your mother is human?"

"Not anymore."

"Huh?"

Taji giggled. "I'll explain later. But for now, I have to go."

Sora nodded and walked her to the window. "Be careful."

Taji smiled. "I will."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"So?" 

"So what?"

"So what are we going to do?"

"I don't know what do you want to do?"

"I don't know what do you want to do?"

"I don't know what do you---"

"Don't start that you two please."

Taura sighed as Nyoko, Taji and Sora giggled. Elbowing Inuakamori as he glared at Sora, and kicking Inukuromori as he snarled at him. They yelped in surprise and shot her a look meant to have some mercy, but she narrowed her eyes at them and smiled at Sora. "Do you guys want some ice cream."

Taji nodded her head and her and Nyoko stood up and followed Taura as she sauntered off to the ice cream parlor. Inukamori and Inukuromori glared at Sora through narrowed eyes. "Hey sucka."

"What's up?" He said cooly.

Kuro snarled. "You like our baby sis?"

"Yup."

Aka growled. "Why?"

"Because she's beautiful, sweet, intelligent, and some other things that I need not tell you."

Kuro chuckled. "You've got guts. I'll give you that. Wait until you meet the old man."

Aka agreed. "Yea. Then you'll have a different story."

"I take it Mr. Taisho is just like you two? Then I have nothing to be afraid of."

The twins growled and pressed their ears to their heads as the girls returned. Taji handed Sora his vanilla ice cream and took a seat with her strawberry. Taura handed kuro his chocolate, and Nyoko handed Aka his cookies in cream. Taji frowned. "Nyoko, why didn't you get one?"

Nyoko sighed. "Surely you understand we are being watched, no? I wish not to believe you are as to so naive not to notice the strong youki that concentrates on us everytime we make a move."

Taji wrinkled her nose. "It's the same one I felt that day he came to the school."

"He?" The twins asked.

Taura shook her head. "Yea, I've sensed it too, but I just thought maybe it was somebody hooking or something, but it's far too strong to be a students."

Sora looked confused. "Can you explain this to me?"

"No!" The twins barked.

Taji barked at them and bared her fangs, causing them to silence as she pushed her ears on her head menacingly. Sora frowned. "Why do you guys have ears?"

They all stiffened. "You--can--see--through--the--spell?" Taura said in a long breath.

Sora looked around. "When I was with Taji, I thought I saw it like in a shadow or something, but just now I saw it clearly. And now I can see Nyoko's and the twins too. Can you see them?"

Taura nodded. "Only because I've seen them without the concealment spell before. But it's best that this is a secret kept within this circle, okay?"

"But . . . I have a question. When you guys were talking about sensing, do you mean that like you can tell when a person is coming that means danger to you or something? Like I can tell when my father is coming, or when the kids with different hair colors are coming, and I didn't know what it was."

Taji licked her ice cream slowly. "Sora? Was anybody in your family a monk, or miko?"

He shrugged. "How would I know? Katana doesn't talk about the family often."

They didn't say much more as they continued to eat their ice creams. Nyoko eye's scanned the crowd, and she growled softly catching the other's attention. "I can't feel it anymore."

"It . . . it just disappeared."

The twins jaw tightened. "Want us to look for 'em?" Aka asked, cracking his knuckles.

Taji held out her hand to stop them. "No, don't. You don't want to make a scene. Remember Uncle Sesshy'll have to cover up if you screw up."

Sora's head whipped to the side. "Over there. Something's over there."

Taura sighed. "I . . . I don't feel anything. Are you sure?"

Sora didn't say anything as he stood up and walked over to the isolated area he was looking at. An old tree that stood leaning to the side, close to death, seemed to beg for him to put him out of misery. It's bark was unusually dark, and it gave of a aura that caused him to shudder. Taji placed her hand on his shoulder as she looked around. "You feel that too?"

He nodded as he reached and touched the bark. A light enveloped his hand, and pulling his hand back, a static force began pulling something out. His eyes widened in surprise, and as he pulled his hand free from the force, out fell a little jewel that caused the others to yelp in surprise. "That looks like . . . " Taura began.

"That's . . . it looks like . . . The Shikon No Tama!"

Nyoko shook her head. "But not quite. It looks just like it, but the aura of it is slightly different."

Sora stared at the small jewel in his hand. He looked at Taji. "Am I supposed to keep this?"

Taji shrugged. "Put it in your pocket. We'll take it home to my mother. We'll protect you on the way there."

"What do you mean?"

Aka and Kuro growled. "The quickest way home, is to cut through the Central Park in Tokyo. The only problem is lots of youkai like to feast on victims there. It's a suicide attempt if a hunter ever goes there, but we have no choice."

Taura sighed. "Let's go."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

**_A/N_**

_I think I am going to take somebodies advice and not update until my allergies stop attacking me. Personally, I don't like this chapter, but it fits into the plot, so I guess I'm just going to have to deal with it. Enjoy! _


	11. Discoveries

**_Discoveries_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

The tension in the room with thick and heavy as the family of hanyous, youkai and demon hunters stared at each other. Shaking their head as their focus landed on the face of a young boy that had no idea just what he was into, Kagome No Taisho sighed as she rubbed her temple and looked across the faces of all the young children sitting at the table. 

A yellow bowl sat in the middle of the table, being hightlighted by a warm pink light that caused the bowl to glow and shine bright. The jewel inside the bowl's aura was strong and troubled, which drew the interest of Sesshomaru No Taisho. Sora's eyed darted to Taji nervously, and he scooted closer to her, issuing a growl from InuYasha as well as the twins. Taji growled right back at her father, surprising him as she stroked Sora's arm in an attempt to comfort him. Nyoko shook her head as she toyed with the gem that hung on her neck, right at the curve of her bosom. Turning to her father, she gave him a quizzical look as he reached over and took a hold of the bowl. "Well, it surely has the same aura as the Shikon No Tama."

Nyoko stuck a claw and lightly traced the fairly large jewel with it. "I don't understand. The legacy of the Shikon No Tama should certainly be over."

Taura frowned as she quickly took the bowl and set it back in the center. She looked at her mother. "If that's so, shouldn't we keep it away from youkai?" She gave Nyoko a devious look.

Nyoko snarled. Kagome cleared her throat. "Well, until we figure out where this came from and whether it is real or not, I think Taji should protect the jewel---"

"But Mama," Taji complained. "Sora found it. And apparently he has strong spiritual powers. He should be the one to protect the jewel."

InuYasha scowled. "Don't you want to follow in the footsteps of your mother?"

Taji nodded. "I do, but youkai law, it's his responsibility." She cut her eye at her uncle, who cleared his throat nervously and nodded. "So he has to protect it."

Kuro seethed. "Well, if you haven't noticed, he's human. There's no way he'll be able to protect it!"

Aka agreed. "Right. And I'm not trying to babysit the bas---" He caught his mother's glare. "The runt all day every day."

Kagome frowned as she reached and took a hold of the bowl. Balancing the jewel in the palm of her hand, she frowned at it, as if she was trying to ask the jewel what it believed was right. Finally, she held it out to Sora with a smile on her face. "I have decided. You shall protect the jewel as I have done a long time ago. But, you have to agree that I must train you."

Sora looked confused. "Train? Train me for what?"

"I have to teach you how to use your powers. Surely you understand you have them. Taji have them also. If you don't know how to use them, how will you ever be able to defend yourself if Taji or the twins aren't there? I think the best thing to do is to train you in how to use your powers."

InuYasha scowled. "And I guess I'll teach you how to fight."

"Fight?"

"Yes. Fight as in martial arts and a sword."

Sora gulped. "A-A-A sword?"

InuYasha smiled as he stood up and walked out of the room. Sora looked around as the murmuring ceased and all the people around the table smiled sadly. He watched as Taji tensed as a loud laughter from the other room was hold, and her face turned pale as she opened her mouth to say something to her mother. But Kagome shook her head and pressed a finger to her lips. She shot Sora an apologetic look that he didn't understand. But then InuYasha walked in with a sword still in the scabbard. InuYasha walked over to Sora and unsheathed Tetsusaiga. Sora turned chalky white as he stared at the blade that InuYasha aimed at his chest.

Frowning deeply, InuYasha flipped Tetsusaiga around, and cut himself in the arm. Sora watched as the blood spilled out of his arm and onto the wine colored carpets. Gasping for breath, he watched as the floor began to grow larger and larger, and he awaited the impact of him meeting the floor---that didn't come.

_Usagi tossed her long white ears back over her shoulder as she sighed in irritation. Glancing back at her watch, she tapped her foot impatiently as she sniffed the air again. What's taking her so long? She closed her eyes and focused on her hearing ; nothing. They just weren't on their way. She didn't have time to be out here waiting. She had things to do. Important things to do than to be bossed around by a no show's cousin. _

_Dusting off her peach skirt with an incredulous skirt, she fiddled with the buttons going down the middle as she tugged at the ruffled bottom. She didn't know why she felt the need to better her appearance, but by now, she guessed it was habit. Tucking her crisp white shoulder-less shirt into her skirt, she tugged the matching peach jacket open slightly as a breeze blew one more time, forcing her to blow her ears out of her face once more. _

_Shifting from one foot to the other, she bent down and tugged off her shoes, letting them drop to the ground next to her. Then, she began tugging on her skirt once more. She didn't even want to be here. Personally, she didn't necessarily like this member of the Ayamamuras. But she was given the task to check up on their progress, and she knew better than to refuse. She swore under her breath after ten minutes of waiting, and bent down to pick up her shoes. _

_Rolling her eyes as she turned on her heels, she stopped suddenly and clucked her teeth. "You decide to show up when I decide to leave?" The other youkai snorted. _

"_I was here a long time ago. Your patience is very thin you know." Usagi crossed her arms, refusing to turn around and look at the female standing behind her. She could feel her cold yellow eyes raking over her back, could feel the slight irritation as she felt her gaze fall to her feet. _

"_Well? Did you complete your task?"_

"_Not exactly. It seems my younger sister doesn't take orders very well." Usagi tried to hide her growing irritation at how the female was toying with her. She hated being toyed with, and the fact that her boss would slaughter her was the only thing keeping her from turning around and striking the damned woman _

"_Well, teach her to follow rules or she's going to get you killed." Usagi growled. _

"_You know as well as I do the actions of my sister will do no such thing. However you should watch how you speak to me." The woman replied smugly. Clenching her teeth together, Usagi counted in her head before she spoke. _

"_So, she killed her?"_

"_Not her per se, but the unborn." Usagi ignored the knot in her throat. Swallowing hard, she flipped her ears over her shoulder again as the gentle breeze threw them in her face. _

"_Where's the others?" She asked tightly. _

"_Home. We have not decided when to strike." _

_Usagi made an attempt to hide her grin. It didn't work. "Don't. I shall talk to Sun about it." The woman scowled. _

"_What did you call her?"_

"_What is it to you?" Usagi let out a choked cry as she felt herself being slammed on the ground. Opening her eyes, she found herself laying on the ground, half propped on her elbows with a sword at her neck. Sweat slid down her temple as her breathing became labored, and cold fear began pumping through her veins. But stubborn pride, and an ego to match allowed her to gaze into those narrow yellow eyes that dared her to challenged the woman's authority one more time. _

"_Repeat that statement." _

_Usagi grinned idiotically. "I said what is it to—" Usagi coughed as the neko pushed the tip of the blade into her neck dangerously. _

"_Remember this." The woman growled. "Know your place. Respect what those greater than you have offered. A servant should act like one, or your time here is short." Usagi was speechless as the woman in front of her vanished. She was frozen on the spot. That gaze…those eyes…they changed into that of something different. _

_Usagi snorted as she stood up and dusted off her skirt. Wrinkling her nose, she began walking out of the empty field. _Why do I feel that . . . she just tried to . . . _wanted_ to. . . _help_ me?

**8:88:888:88:8**

_Yutamiki stared at him, fascination as well as amazement glazing her eyes over at how charming Shippou had grown to be. She blushed at how his fangs shined in the moonlight, how his jade eyes stood out, giving his face and hair a eerie glow. He seemed to perfect to be demon, yet to different to be human. She smiled warmly as she stared at him somemore, wondering how to attain that much beauty that kept her in awe. He noticed her staring and blushed as his laughter died down, replaced by chuckles of nervousness and uncomfort._

_"Beautiful…" She whispered, looking into his eyes than quickly looking to the moonlight. "It's beautiful tonight." It was Shippou's turn to stare now. Her big browned eyes glowed in the darkness, and her ebony hair shimmered in the moonlight, covering her like a blanket. She absently ran her fingers through the long mass, humming silently to herself, oblivious that she was the only thing right now to him. Becoming tired of raking her hair, she began braiding it to the side, letting it hang off her shoulder. Realizing that she had no hair band, she clucked her teeth before Shippou shoved his blue one under her nose. She looked at it then at him as his brunette hair flowed down his shoulders like a waterfall. She smiled before she took it, tying it to the end of the braid, making sure to let some hair fall freely, which was still enough to tickle her legs as she barely braided half of it._

_She now waved it in the air in rhythm to Shippou's tail with a smile. He giggled and reached over, touching her hair softly._

_"It's so pretty, like Kagome's. She has beautiful hair." Yutamiki thanked him for his compliment and and looked down. Shippou sighed before taking hold of her hand shyly, surprising her. He avoided her gaze and stared out into the distance as she laced her fingers in his and squeezed it tight before cuddling closer to him._

_"Your mother, what was her name?"_

_"Yurihana." She said with a sigh._

_"That's why when we met you,"_

_"I had the lilies. Her name means lily flower."_

_"And your name means…"_

_"Superior beauty."_

_"It fits you." Shippou said as his face took on a pink hue. He sniffed her cautiously and smiled._

_"Your kaori, it's like hakubaiku."_

_"You don't like it?" She said sadly. Shippou shook his head roughly._

_"No! I don't mean that, it's just, soothing…" She smiled and cuddled closer to him as he dug his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent deeply._

_"I want to visit her grave every month. Only InuYasha knows, but I want you to come with me. Only you, I want her to meet you…" Shippou nodded and smiled as he grabbed her waist and hopped off of the roof._

_"Sure. Next month then, and every day we can bring her some yuris. Yuris for Yurihana." Yutamiki smiled as Shippou followed her into the hut._

Sora blinked as he registered the memory that wasn't his. Looking around eagerly as he tried to understand the images that just flashed through his mind, he watched as the sun smiled happily at him, and he groaned as the lightness in the room began to make him feel queasy all over again. Just what was that dream about? And who was Usagi, Yutamiki and Shippou? Why was he having dreams about them in a weird place?He didn't flinch as the door opened and InuYasha sat next to him slowly. "How do you feel?"

Sora didn't say anything. InuYasha cringed. "You know kid, I was never a person to like blood either. But think of it like this. You have to shed blood to prevent more blood from being shed. That always made me pull through it all. I never thought you would be squeamish though. Here's a little secret: Aka hates blood too. Just between me and you."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"Do I have to do this?" 

"Um, yeah?"

"Why?"

"Because, it's better for you than for me. Now, hold the sword like I showed you."

Sora flinched as he dropped Inukuromori's sword on the floor softly and stepped away from it. "No, I can't do it."

InuYasha scowled as he marched up to Sora and glowered down at the young boy. Dressed in a pair of oversized shorts with a casual white t-shirt, Sora looked like the average teenager. But InuYasha, more than anyone, could see under that innocent exterior. Unbeknowengst to the host, that body contained a great amount of spiritual power, enough to rebirth the Shikon No Tama, and as well, a million of foes that will come to take it. It was relevant that he learned to defend himself, but it seems like it wasn't going to happen anytime soon. "Yes, you can. Now pick up the sword and hold it like I showed you. It's not like you're killing anything. It's perfectly fine just to hold it."

Sora looked uncertain. "And Kuro won't mind me using his sword?"

InuYasha grimaced as a reminder of that argument flashed through his head. "Don't worry about it. The pup won't be home for a couple of days, so he won't even realized it was touched."

"But aren't you inu-youkai? Shouldn't you be able to smell me---"

"Shut the hell up kid," InuYasha fumed. "And pick up the damn sword."

Sora's palms began to sweat as he stared at the shimmering blade on the grassy back property, The Forest of InuYasha, and took a deep breath as he reached down to pick it up. Suddenly, he hissed and drew back, staring at the blade incredulously as he began backing away from it. "I . . . I can't do it."

"Hey," InuYasha placed a hand on Sora's shoulder as the boys fear became so thick the trees began to mock him. Sora flinched and smacked InuYasha's hand away, catching the hanyou off guard and causing him to stumble. Sora heard him yelp in pain, and he didn't look back as he fled into the forest. When he did look back, InuYasha was on his knees, cradling his hand, bent over it like he was crying.

Sora fled like his life was depended on it. Why was they forcing all of this on him? Why did everything have to be so different in Tokyo? And where were all these people in his mind from? When he reached to pick up the sword, a ghastly scene flashed across his eyes, and to his horror, would leave an imprint that would be a miracle for him to push away.

_He watched the two shadows of figures with weapons constantly lunging at each other and parrying the other's attack. Peering around the corner as the two stood at the opposite ends of the alley, blood dripping down their back, face and arms, they looked utterly pitiful as they gasped for breath and panted. One of them grinned as he brought his hand to his face and licked the blood off of it. Grinning idiotically as the crimson blood tinged his pearly white fangs, he staggered a little bit as he stepped forward. The other figure took it's guard up quickly, apparently too tired to move just yet. _

_"Oh . . . has the puppy lost his energy?" _

_The other being growled angrily as he tightened his hold on now what registered as a sword and parted his legs swiftly. "Don't call me a 'puppy'." _

_"Dear hunter, there are rumors spreading among us. It seems you are jealous of your twin brother. How is that? He has the perfect like, utterly handsome, all the girls want him, and yet you have nothing, do you?" _

_"Shuddup!" The person lunged at the other person with a blinded rage, and the taunter sidestepped neatly as he brought his hand back, striking the figure in his lower neck and causing something to crack as he fell to the ground. _

_"Oh, the puppy needs a little time-out, does he?" _

_"No, I don't need time out." He growled as he stood up. Smiling, Sora could see his mouth and fangs were dripping with blood. His eyes filled with a rage that made the grim reaper cringe with fear, the absolute murderer within him glistened as he raised the blade over his head with a big heave. In one breath, he brought the blade down on the ground, and destroyed half of the other person. His bloody half destroyed body fell to the ground, and he began twitching as he tried to grab for the last strings of life. _

_"H-h-hunter . . . "He gasped and coughed, blood splutering out his mouth just as thick and harsh as the insults he was throwing a could of minutes before. "You're power is fueled by your hatred of your own brother. With that power, you can have anything you want. Join us, and you can finally be happy." _

_"Happy?" The boy mocked, settling the tip on his blade on the neck of the beast lying before him. "Joining with a bunch of blood-thirsty youkai make me happy?" _

_The dying man laughed. "You love to kill. Seeing the blood running on your feet and down your body makes you warm all over, and you love to sink your precious fang in the soft skin of your dying victim. But do not feel guilt over these desires that run through your blood. Instead, fight with us. Your pleasures shouldn't have to be dealt withby death. Join with us, and your bloodshed yearning shall be fulfilled. But you must start with your inner most wish." _

_"My wish?" _

_"Yes . . . I know what is it. Tell me, how does it feel to plan to kill those that you have known all of your life?" _

_With a guiltstriken cry, the boy pushed the blade deep into the neck of the other man, making blood spurt on the walls and onto his clothes and face. He smiled with a hint of satisfaction in his piercing gold eyes, and running his tongue along the tip of the blade, he smirked as he dropped it into the scabbard and ran out of the alley. _

_Sora felt weak and in intense pain as he crumpled to the ground and closed his eyes, willing the pain to go away. He opened his eyes, and saw himself laying on the ground. The pulsing sensation that he hadn't noticed on his chest before began to make itself known, causing him to double over slightly and groan. Taking the jewel out of his inside pocket and holding it in the palm of his hand, it glowed a bright white, it's aura enveloping his and making his skin feel warm all over. He shivered slightly as the light engulfed him and he watched as 'his figure' laying on the ground slowly disappeared. "Continue my legacy . . . " _

_'What? '_

_'Continue my Legacy . . . Protect the Moon and the Sun. '_

_'What? '_

_'When the Moon and the Sun become tainted by the darkness of the Earth, a revolutionized miko shall give birth unto the Skye. '_

_'Protect the Moon and the Sun? Who . . . me?' _

_'It is your destiny . . . continue my legacy . . . ' _

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Tsukiko frowned as she looked at Sora through her rearview mirror. His whole figure was leaning on Taji. His skin was pale and chalky. After he had fled from InuYasha, Taji found him in a heartbeat, and after Kagome prayed for him, he was to go home after he had awoken. He groaned slightly as he turned his head and Taji sat up straighter. 

He blinked his eyes slowly, and they almost crossed as he tried to focus on the two at once. Taji stifled a giggle as she lifted his head slowly, allowing him to lean on the closed door as he looked around with confusion. Looking at the window, he discovered that they were sitting outside of the hotel room, and Taji had her cell phone sitting on her lap intently. She stared a thim eagerly with concern, her face twisted into a deep frown as he sighed and scratched his head. "What happened?"

Tsukiko cleared her throat and smiled. "You passed out after you ran from InuYasha. Luckily Taji found you before it was too late."

"I passed out? How?"

Tsukiko shrugged. "I think you panicked. Even though you have a lot of cuts and bruises, it's not because you lost too much blood. I think that you just made yourself go into a fit that your body couldn't handle."

"I understand." He turned to Taji. "If you don't mind me asking, who is that woman?"

Taji giggled. "She's my aunt. She's Uncle Sesshomaru's wife, and Nyoko's mother."

Sora nodded in understanding as he felt the same pulsing in his chest. He looked down and saw the familiar light of the Shikon No Tama. He sighed and glanced out the window again. "Did I make everything worse?"

Taji clamped her mouth shut and looked away. Tsukiko frowned and laid her hands on the steering wheel. "To be honest, we don't know. That jewel you hold is the root of all evil and sadness. But also, if the person who weilds it has a pure heart, it can be used for good. Truthfully, there couldn't be a worst time to uncover it. You see, the youkai have begun to make their presence known, and the humans are becoming suspicious. There is a possibility that it is because of the jewel, but right now, we are just worried about making sure you are safe."

Sora nodded in understand as Taji opened the car door and helped him out. "But what about me? Wouldn't they come for me and the jewel?"

Taji grinned. "Don't worry about it. We've already placed a barrier around the whole building, so youkai can't pass through."

Sora looked puzzled. "A barrier?" He stood on his own, feeling much better. "Who put it there?"

Taji blushed. "I put the first one up . . . well at least I tried to. But it wasn't strong enough so my mother had to do it. After a while," She smiled again. "You'll be able to do it too. Uncle Miroku can do it too, but he used to be a monk, so it's a different scenario. Anyway, this is where we part company, for now."

"You aren't going in with me?"

Taji stepped back and smiled brightly and falsely. Sora saw right through it and winced. "Nope."

"Because of your youkai blood?" She nodded her head and stepped back again, waving sadly.

He pointed to the necklace she wore around her neck. "Doesn't that have a spell that'll let you go through?"

She held it in the palm of her hands, idly playing with the fang that hung in the middle. "Oh, this? This strengthens my concealment spell. It had a strong spell that used to condemn my father, but after my mother broke the spell, we all have one."

Sora shrugged and turned around. He walked to the door and turned around. Taji still stood there, but now leaning casually against the door. She waved again. He sighed and waved back, before slowly heading into the building, not looking back until he was sure they pulled off. He pulled the jewel out of his pocket and glared at it. "Well, I guess you're a part of my life now."

The jewel glittered.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Woohoo! Three cheers for a early summer break for me! So I'll be able to update as frequently as I want to! Woohoo! Enjoy! _


	12. Infuriation

**_Infuriation_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_Katana snapped his head to the side as she stared at the wall. He narrowed his eyes as an unusual pulsing began in his chest. Stumbling a bit as he stood up, he grabbed the wall and began walking to the door frantically, his nails digging into the wall as the pain became too much to bear. _

_Shuffling his way out the door, he goes next door just as the door closes and he bangs on the door. Sora quickly opens the door, looking quite confused as he shoved him back and stepped into the doorway, slamming the door behind him. Sora flinched as he stared at his father in his bloodshot eyes. He backed away from him a few steps, but Katana took a big swing and caught him in his jaw. Sora cried out as he fell to the floor and he gasped as the jewel rolled out of his pocket. The pink mist began swirling erractically as it turned to a crimson purplewith every beat of Sora's heart._

_Katana looked completely crazy. His mouth began drooling as his eyes turned a darker red. He stared at his son with disbelief as he lunged for the jewel. Sora, who had an impulse, suddenly leapt for the jewel just before Katana grabbed it, causing the old man to crash into the floor and lay there for a couple of seconds longer. Something inside of Sora told him to run, and just as he gathered his sense, Katana wrapped his hands around his son's throat and held him against the wall. "Just where did you get that jewel?" He growled. _

_Sora flinched and grabbed his father's wrists, pulling and digging his nails into them frantically. "I . . .I won't tell!" He screamed. _

_Katana laughed evilly and tightened his grip. "You will tell me," He laughed again, saliva streaming down his chin. "You will tell me or you shall die." _

_Sora coughed as little black dots danced in his vision. Just as he opened his mouth to scream, just as he was ready to close his eyes and pass out, a figure burst through the windows, and gave Katana a good one to his gut. The man flew back into the nearest wall, and Sora fell to the ground, grabbing his throat and coughing horribly. The mysterious person hunkered down to his side and patted his back. "Are you alright kid?" _

_Sora looked into the man's eyes. They were familar. But Sora was too far gone to think about just who it was that was saving him. Sora watched as Katana stood up, and the man screamed for him to run. Just as Sora stood up, the man dodged the blows Katana threw at him. The man peered over his shoulder. "Run, dammit!" He bellowed. _

_Sora took off out of the room, down the hallway and down the stairs. Just as he hit the bottom of the stairs, the mysterious man came crashing out of the window, and landed neatly beside Sora. Sora stumbled as his head began pounding and he steadied himself on the wall. "Who are you?" He questioned. _

_The man shook his head and pointed down the street towards the large park. "You have to run Kitohoshi. Run, and don't look back." _

_Sora flinched as he began to run, but stopped suddenly as the jewel began pulsing again in his grasp. "Where do I go? What's wrong with my father?" _

_"This . . . this isn't your father." The man shoved Kitohoshi towards the direction he pointed to as Katana stormed out of the front doors. "Now, go!" _

_"Where do I go?" _

_The man just simply smiled. "Go where your heart leads you." _

_Sora turned and let off down the street. He crossed the street, and ran through the shopping center. He remembered seeing the shocked faces of people around him before he took off into the forest. Stopping at the base of a very large and old tree, Sora sat down and sighed. He was tired . . . so very tired . . . _

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji stared out the window as a familiar pulsing began to rumble in her chest. She doubled over and bit her lip as her aunt pulled over and turned in the seat to stare at her, nervousness brightening her gaze. "What's the matter?" 

Taji gritted her teeth together as she looked at her aunt in the eyes. She looked out the window. A pink-purple barrier had erected, and she could already smell the fear and panic of the nearby humans. She shuddered as she scrambled out of the car. Her aunt took her arm just before she sprinted off into the park. "Is it Sora? Is something wrong with Sora?"

Taji shrugged as she looked off into the distance. "I don't know . . . but we have to hurry!"

Tsukiko looked a little unsure, but in turn she followed Taji as she began running through the forest. Along the way, Taji stopped suddenly as an attack similar to InuYasha's Blades of Blood landed just above her feet. A lynx youkai hopped out of the security of the trees, hissing and laughing as he rounded on the two.

Tsukiko stepped in front of Taji and pushed her forward slightly. "I'll be alright, just go!"

Taji watched as her aunt parried an attack directly from the youkai, and Taji shouted a thanks before she took off inthe direction of the barrier. When she approached the barrier, she placed her hand on it, ignoring the agonizing burn as she closed her eyes and concentrated the energy. Smiling as the barrier dissipitated, she hurried on, only to find Sora laying safly at the the base of a trunk.

Sighing sadly as she hunkered down beside him, she shook him softly, her eyes darkening with concern as he murmured words in his sleep. "Dad . . . gone . . ." Taji frowned sadly as the scent of her aunt's blood, not serious, but still bleeding drifted into her nostrils. With a grunt of disgust, she carefully put Sora on her back, and began sprinting back to her aunt as the scent of the lynx began to fade away.

Tsukiko took a good look at Sora's pail, limp figure, frowned, and instructed Taji to go to her house, not home. Taji looked a little confused, but followed her aunt's directions, following the scent of her uncle, and surprisingly, Shippou. When she landed in the driveway, she watched as Shippou growled and bared his fangs to another youkai. Taji gasped as she placed a hand on Shippou's chest, willing him to calm down. Shippou gave her a questioning glance, but growled as the inu-youkai smiled at her, then frowned at Sora. "What happened?"

She stepped back casually, but looked over her shoulder as he stirred. "Katana . . .it's not him. Where's his father?"

The inu-youkai growled as he shrugged, shooting Shippou a smug look when his snarl went up a notch."I can explain it all if you allow me inside."

Taji looked like she didn't want to agree, but hearing Sora's mumbling plea, she gestured for him to follow her inside. Using his claw to enter the house, Shippou led them to one of the guest rooms, and waited outside the door for Sesshomaru as Taji and the mysterious man placed the young boy on the bed. Sora's eyes had opened, but they were unfocused and blurry. He closed them back and fell asleep. Taji sighed. "Just in time."

The mysterious youkai peeled off his coat, revealing a pair of jeans and white shirt. She regarded him for a moment, before narrowing her eyes. "And you are?"

"Detective Nakabashi Hiroyima. I've been in touch with this young boy, 'protecting' him since his birth."

"Protecting him?"

The detective nodded. "Sure, his mother came to me in a dream, and instructed for me to meet her on the roof of the daycare just outside of Kyoto. When I saw her, she was about six months pregnant, and looked pail and thin. She told me all about what she had seen in a dream she said. Then, I was assigned to protect him. I've been with him ever since. But he only knows me from when his mother was murdered."

Taji looked impressed. "So, is there anything you can tell me?"

"There is no background of his mother, except there are a few beliefs that she is the reincarnate of a young girl that was around with the legendary InuYasha 500 years ago. She gave birth to a baby boy, who would later in his life save the world. I was assigned to be his guardian, which I have been doing for 14 years."

Taji didn't comment as she stared at his sleeping form. Frowning as she reached forward and brushed his bangs out of his eyes, she reverted her gaze back to Nakabashi, who was eyeing her with interest. "So, you are the daughter of InuYasha No Taisho."

She nodded slowly. "I am."

"You know, the kid talks about you alot." Nakabashi said, perching near the window. "A whole lot."

"He does . . . . I'm glad." Taji said, a flush rising up on her cheeks as she refused to lock gazes with the youkai.

"I don't think I've ever seen him this happy since she died. It's glad to see him smile again."

Taji opened her mouth to reply, but Sesshomaru walked into the room, and scowled at Nakabashi for a moment. Nakabashi, who stood respectfully, scowled back in return. "How dare you invade that of the tai-youkai's domain?" Sesshomaru thundered, shocking Taji.

Nakabashi held his ground. "I am fulfilling a promise I've made to a friend a long time ago. The kid is my responsibility."

Sesshomaru looked like he wanted to argue, but Hanako waltzed in the room, scowling at her father, silencing him as she shuffled to the bed. Taji looked utterly surprised, she didn't know her cousin was in town. She watched as Hanako held her hands out in front of her in a circular shape, and muttered something under her breath. A pure white flower appeared in front of her, and she took on of the petals and placed on on his forehead. As soon as she plucked it, another one grew in his place, and she pushed her hands towards his chest, sending the flower into his chest. It slowly sunk in his skin, causing him to rise up slightly before falling right back down. "What did you do?" Taji asked, only remember seeing her cousin use this method once before.

Hanako took a deep breath. "It's just nothing but a healing flower that temporarily keeps him immune from fever, hallucination and hypnotism. It helps him regan sixty-percent of his health back almost as soon as he's up and moving, so I guess you can call it a reviver."

Taji looked relieved, until Shippou and Sesshomaru began growling at Nakabashi at the same time. He snarled back in return, his eyes pulsing red as he dug his nails into the hard wood of the windowsill. Taji flattened her ears and whistled, making all in the room grimace. "I wish you would all calm down! Now please, everybody out!" Taji had a pretty peeved look on her face, so they all obeyed her, and winced as she closed the door behind the last person who shuffled out.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Kazuki smiled as Akemi giggled and continued to sprint along side at the break of dawn that morning. Sighing as the wind rippled through his silver hair, he stopped just above he went plummeting over the edge and falling into the ice cold water beneath him. Laying his elbows on the cold hard metal and placing his chin on his palms, he took a deep breath as the wave of fresh air from the salty sea water calmed his nerves. 

Akemi stopped beside him, huffing anf puffing as she bent over and slapped her knees with laughter. She patted him on the back, her golden eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement before her head snapped to the side and she sniffed eagerly. "You smell that big brother?" She whispered quietly.

"Do I smell what?" He said, looking at her from the corner of his eyes and sniffing just to see what she was talking about.

He wrinkled his nose as her ears perked up with interest and she began to trail away. "Big brother . . . I think . . . I think it's . . . "

Kazuki nearly stumbled over the edge as his sister dropped to all fours, forgetting completely that they were in the presence of humans. Lifting her up by the scruff of her collar, he placed her hand in the small of her back and pushed her away until they were alone. Placing his hands on his hips, he gave his sister a questioning stare as she blushed and pointed to the top of a large hill that owned to the Taisho's. "What about it?"

"I sense an energy. My blood is compelled to it."

Kazuki frowned as he looked at his hands. Was this is? Was this the source of why he felt as if something was constantly tugging at his heart, blood and soul? Was this why he had grown restless, and on several accounts had fine his eyes pulsing red? Was this the reason that all youkai were advised to stay home with an excuse for work of school? He looked to the top of the hill, frowning as the maddening tugging seemed to grown stronger and urgent. He took Akemi by the hand and began to lead her away despite her whining. "But . . .Aka's up there!"

He stopped suddenly. If Aka was there, and he felt a tug towards his youkai blood, there was a possibility that all of the family, youkai or hanyou were there in that building right now, which meant Taji was there, and he would never give up the chance to see her beautiful face . . .

But now was not the time. Shaking his head as he began pulling Akemi again, whens he began whining, he growled, silencing her protests as he stomped all of the way home.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Sesshomaru watched as Taji took the jewel from Sora's hands and inspected it. Sora, who had a swollen lip and a severed shoulder, winced as she handed it back, dropping it into the palm of his hand. Kagome, who sat nearby, smiled warmly at him when he nodded respectfully, and he looked a little confused when he looked at Detective Nakabashi, who had two stripes on his face. He could see one just above each of his wrists, and could barely see them through his white shirt. 

Though he was a little frightened, he wasn't scared, and he continued to stare at him as Kagome took the jewel out of his hands and used her claw to draw a little hold right on the top of it. Smiling, she allowed a fang to fall down the string, then a bead, and then the jewel. Then she dropped a bead, then another fang, and she tied the ends in a knot. She slipped it over his head and smiled as it stopped swirling and calmed a little.

Sora held it between his fingers, looking at it from all angles. Taji sighed and brushed some hair out of his face, causing him to turn a deep red and send chuckles all around the room. Inuakamori growled as he pushed through his father and uncle, followed by his brother. "How you feeling?" He said a little gruffer than intended.

Inukuromori rolled his eyes and pushed past his brother. "Well, I guess for now on you're staying with us."

Sora looked at Taji, who nodded slowly as she glared at her brothers with suspicion. "I live with you guys now? What about my father---"

"Kid," Nakabashi cut in quite rudely. "That's not your father."

"What do you mean?"

"We . . .we lost him a long time ago."

" 'We'? Who is 'we'?"

Nakabashi shook his head as he spared Sora and glanced and shuffled out of the room. Sesshomaru, who looked utterly annoyed, followed him, accompanied by InuYasha and Kagome. Now, all who stayed in the room was Shippou, the twins, Taji and Nyoko. "Do you know what happened, exactly?" Nyoko asked.

Sora shrugged. "I was going into my room, like I do every night, when he just went ballistic and tried to knock me out. Then Hiroyima came and saved me, twice, and I ran to the forest. It felt like somebody was watching me, and then I just had a burst of energy, and then it just left my body all at once, and I felt really tired and passed out."

Nyoko didn't comment as she looked at the jewel with pure interest before she shrugged indifferently and crossed her arms over her chest. Her narrowed golden eyes raked over his whoel figure, and he felt goosebumps rise on his skin as she began growling. Taji, who gave a sharp growl at her, rubbed Sora's arms and he began shuddering. "It's okay, that was your natural barrier. It was the first time you've ever used it, so it's completely normal."

Sora still didn't look like he believed her, but he took a look into her eyes and saw the truth there. With a sigh, he forced a small smile as his eyelids began to feel heavy again. Shaking his head as if to shake the sleepiness off of his small figure, he smiled with embarrassment as Taji grinned warmly. Standing up, she tweaked her cousins ear, playfully kicked her brothers, and waved her hands at Shippou as Sora laid down. She looked over her shoulder just before she closed the door. He held up his hand respectfully, smiling slightly. She smiled back and waved before his eyesclosed and she closed the door softly. Turning and jumping slightly at all the narrowed eyes, she chuckled nervously and softly as she waved her hands in front of her chest. "He's sleep . . . I just thought maybe the best thing to do is let him get as much rest as he could since he's going to be staying with us for a while."

Nyoko frowned. "It wouldn't be logical if he stays with us. We are not home too frequently for it to possibly be safe for him to come here, even with the fact the tai-youkai lives here; that scares away half the competition."

Taji sighed and rubbed her forehead with her fingers. Looking at the door, she frowned deeply; until Aka laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry baby girl. We'll babysit the little runt if it means that much to you."

Taji beamed and hugged her brother. Jumping forward and hooking her arm around Kuro's neck, she hugged them tight and kissed each of their ears playfully, flattening her own for protection. "I'm so proud of you guys!"

Kuro shrugged as he flexed his claws. "It's been a while since I've had a decent fight. Now that the Shikon No Tama has been resurrected, that means I can sharpen my claws on youkai who are as to so foolish to challenge us."

Aka snorted and cracked his knuckles. "Oh, and that reminds me. Kuro, it's your turn to take care of the crap next time we hunt. Remember last time when it was your turn and I nearly got my head cut off because you wanted to drink so much damn sake?"

Kuro flushed and reached over, flicking his brother's ears. "Yea . . . I remember a little bit too well. Come on everybody, let's go get something to eat."

Taji stared at Kuro with interest. _'He's hiding something.' _

_'Yeah . . . I know . . . ' _

_'What do you think it is? He has enjoyed hunting a little too much lately---'_

_'You're not saying---' _

_'I'm not saying anything. It was just a thought.'_ She began following after the crowd that was her family heading to the kitchen. She stifled a whine and pressed her ears to her head. _'Just a thought . . . right.'_

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Kagome and InuYasha exchanged glances as Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at Nakabashi. Hiroyima, who was completely taken with intimidating the tai-youkai, didn't seem to notice Kagome clearing her throat until her youkai spiked and her angry became something that he feared. She took a couple of deep breaths before she began talking. "Detective. . . I don't know if you understand this, but it seems that history has repeated itself, just it took a different approach to rebirth."

He nodded his head and leaned forward a little. InuYasha, who sat in the corner with his hands jammed into the sleeves of his haori, closed his eyes, though his ears twitched and quirked like little radars. Sesshomaru sat at his desk, staring into space silently as he pressed his lips together into a fine line at Kagome's words. "I don't understand. How did the Shikon No Tama become resurrected? What about Yuki; did she have anything to do with this? What happened to Katana?"

InuYasha bit back his retort as he shoved his hands further into his haori. Kagome turned a little pale, and InuYasha, who was sitting to the right of her, opened one of his eyes to peep at her. She gave him a reassuring smile, and with a snort, he closed his eyes again."Well . . .The Shikon No Tama has been around for a very long time. It's just that, we were never able to locate it, it was just a six sense that it was here. Apparently, fate has decided Sora is the new protector of the Shikon No Tama."

"What about his parents?"

Kagome shrugged. "It leads me to believe that his mother's soul was used to create and Shikon No Tama, but I have not been able to conclude that theory. What I do believe, is that . . . never mind."

Nakabashi looked like he wanted to press the subject. But two things stopped him. One, the look on Kagome's face made him think twice about opening his mouth. She was a chalky white color, though he did not know why. Her big brown eyes were glazed over, and she was biting her lips and playing with her hands. If Hiroyima had any experience with women, these things meant that they were deeply troubled by something, and it was best just to wait until they were ready. Two, InuYasha was snarling at him. His golden eyes flashing and his ears laid back, he seemed ready to pounce on him on any minute. Kagome's ears flattened and she winced. Sesshoamru, however, was scowling at him. Now, if Nakabashi knew any better, if he frowned upon you, that meant that he felt like beating you up. But this inhumane scowl full of disgust made the detective shdder, and he clamped his mouth shut until she was ready to speak again. "Mrs.Taisho?"

She waved her hand and blushed. "Kagome is just fine Detective Hiroyima. Anyhow, I have been told that his father has been 'possessed?'"

Nakabashi grimaced. "Yea . . . . we lost him a long time ago. I saw him do it myself . . . ever since then I make sure he doesn't hurt Sora enough to make a scene."

" 'Enough'!" InuYasha bellowed, his eyes flashing as he curled his lips back and growled. " 'Enough'? What happened to not letting harm befall him anyway? There was hundreds of youkai who wanted Kagome, but I didn't go and let them smack her around."

Kagome yelped with surprise as Nakabashi growled back in response, his thoughts of trying to keep his cool now forgotten. "What do you want me to do? Crash in there every time he hits the kid, get arrested and possibly killed by your brother for disturbing the peace of humanity? What then hanyou? Who would protect him then? It was the only thing I could do! Trust me, I felt like crap for years not being able to do anything to help him."

InuYasha fell silent as he closed his eyes and flattened his ears. Kagome sighed. "Anyway, we just need to focus on keeping Katana far away from his son until we can figure out a way to save him."

"Save him? The mans been fone for about 16 years. There's no way we can save him."

Kagome shook her head and looked up at the detective. "That's not true. Whether they are full youkai, hanyou, or have been possessed by a youkai, there's a little bit of humanity in every living thing. And if you have a pure heart, and you know just how fragile that human heart is, you can save that person. A little bit of love can cure anything."

The detective looked around. InuYasha had found his way to Kagome, laying his head on her lap as he sat in front of her. Sesshomaru, who had his face in his palm and was drumming his claws on the table idly with a sly smile on his face as InuYasha began purring because Kagome was stroking his ears. Then, the detective smiled too. These people had something that he lost a long time ago.

They had faith, and he wanted it too.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Well, sorry for the delay. Enjoy!_


	13. Guardian

**_Guardian_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Sora rolled his eyes as he felt the familiar presence of a youkai hiding behind the tree as he ate lunch silently. The Taisho family weren't able to come to school because InuYasha had given them all a terrible cold, and Nakabashi was assigned to follow him everywhere he went as protection. Sora watched as he hopped from the tree to the rooftop, then back again, landing just outside the tree next to Sora. "Do you have to be so obvious?" Sora had asked him. 

Detective Nakabashi Hiroyima glanced around cautiously and frowned. "What do you mean kid, no one knows I'm here."

"Yeah . . .every one but the tree."

Sora sighed. Just ten more minutes, and he'll be back under the watch of Nyoko and Taura. Then, he could shake the feeling of complete idoicy when the detective hopped around like a jackrabbit. The Detective had to work all this week, eleven hours because of a recent murder that had taken place. It was taken into the view of the police force that was mainly youkai because Aka and Kuro were too weak to do the job, Sesshomaru had no choice but to call Luitenant Nezumi and explain to him just why he wasn't able to dispose of the culprit himself.

So, Detective used his lunch break to watch over Sora because Nyoko and Taura decided to go out for lunch since they had just gotten allowance. They didn't want to go at first because if they went, Sora couldn't because he was given strict instructions not to leave the school without a youkai or hanyou with him, unless Taura had her weapon. They had offered to take him with them, but he decided it was best to stay in school, and they had called Detective Nakabashi.

Now, he was being constantly annoyed with his youki being everywhere at once, and a couple of times the teacher seemed annoyed by this too. But Sesshomaru had called a meeting with them all and explained that he needed to be protected, and that he must be on the watch at all times. So, Nyoko was transferred into his class. He began drinking his juice to keep from snapping at his friend, and was on the point to tears when the girls walked in. He nearly bounded over to them and took Taura's hand. "Please . . . get him away from me."

Taura giggled as Nakabashi, who had now settled in a tree, growled. "I heard that."

Sora wrinkled his nose. "Well at least he's kept still."

Nyoko smiled wanly as she walked over and peered into the tree. Circling around in and narrowing her amber eyes, she crossed his arms over her chest as he stuck his head down and peered at her. "What is it?"

"You do realize that I could sense you were here before I even got within a mile of the school?"

"So?"

Nyoko rubbed a tired hand over her face. "You put your scent all around the school, as well as your youki everywhere you were. Besides this tree, it's faint, but it's still strong enough to be a threat."

"Isn't that a good thing?" He scratched his chin. "Won't that scare all the youkai away?"

She sighed and shook her head. "But it'll call the stronger ones, the ones that have so much pride that have to destroy ones like you. Some may be enough for the twins to handle, but some of them might make us ask for assistance from Father or Uncle Yasha. And that is not a good thing."

Nakabashi looked a little embarrassed, and Nyoko shrugged and shook her head as she smiled and walked away. Taura withheld a giggle as she watched Nakabashi wave goodbye and soar out of the tree. Placing her hand on Sora's shoulder, she took a piece of his sandwich and quickly moved her hand when he tried to swat it away. "How about we go over Taji's afterschool?"

Sora flinched. "But aren't they sick?"

Nyoko rolled her eyes. "So? It's not like you guys could catch it. I can though."

Sora stepped back a little. "I don't want to be a burden . . .but I have a lesson with Mrs.Taisho today afterschool anyway."

Taura winced as they began to walk back into the school. She let go of Sora, and he was ahead a couple of steps. She leaned in closer to Nyoko. "Did you see him too?"

Nyoko glanced over her shoulder before she nodded. Cracking her knuckles, she sighed as she licked her lips. "Yes . . . one of us has to sit close to Kitohoshi, until he leaves."

Taura glanced over her shoulder as well, couldn't shake the feeling that he was following them, watching their every move with predator precision. "I think . . . I think that you should sit with him. I'm basically useless without my weapon."

Nyoko stopped in front of the class they were to be attending next. Wrinkling her nose at the faint smell of onions and curry, she nearly coughed as the rest of the class, the human groups walked in without being fazed. A couple of hanyou's and youkai walked in without a second thought, but most of them had to get it together before they could walk in. Taura, who had been trained with a stronger sense of smell than an average human, wrinkled her nose as well as she coughed and tugged Nyoko into class.

Sora sat in the middle desk in the back of the room, with Taura to his right and Nyoko to his left. Putting his head down, he reached in his shirt and ran his finger over the smooth jewel, smiling before he removed his fingers and glanced out the window. The sapphire sky was clear and beautiful, but Sora couldn't help the feeling that something wasn't right . . . that it was too perfect. Nothing was happening, noone had been hurt . . . it was just too peaceful, even for his liking.

The teacher, who looked a little shaken and pale too, began teaching about algebra. Sora, who had the slightest clue about what she was talking about, began eagerly taking notes, not noticing that his two bodyguards were constantly looking around, paranoid as a dull throb developed in his chest. Pushing it away as he tried to focus on the formula the teacher was presenting, Nyoko broke into a low growl that made half the class turn around and made the teacher falter.

Sora looked at her as well, raising his eyebrow as she flushed and muttered an apology, shooting the teacher a frantic glance. Sora looked down at his chest as the dull throb became a pulse again. He looked at Taura. "It's doing it again!" He whispered.

"Doing what?"

"That throbbing thing."

Before Taura could reply to his accusation, Nyoko stood up abruptly and shoved Sora under the desk. "He comes."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji groaned as she rubbed her eyes and waded into the backyard, where InuYasha was taking his frustrations out on a tree. Kagome sat nearby, sipping on tea as the twins, who sat in a tree close to the one their father was abusing, broke into a shrieking laughter that had their father screaming at them for minutes. Kagome broke out into a small laugh, which darkened her father's mood. "Oh, cheer up InuYasha. It's just a cold." 

InuYasha fumed and hit the tree again. "A cold that dulled every one of my damned senses."

Taji flattened her ears as he hit the tree again and the wood splintered. Kagome stood up, her tail between her legs as she flattened her ears too and bit her lip bloody. InuYasha immediately turned and looked at her, and in a flash had hopped on the patio and was now looking over her. "See, everything isn't dulled."

InuYasha fumed as his gaze darkened and he propelled Kagome into the house. Inkuromori scowled as Inuakamori hopped out of tree and into the next one. Taji hopped into the tree with Inukuromori. "What's happening? What's wrong with Aka?"

Kuro turned his back to Taji, something that he rarely did a long time ago, but now it was a regular thing. She frowned. "I don't know. I told him that I don't need his help to hunt anymore, and he just left."

Taji gasped. "But . . . you've been hunting together forever!"

Kuro stood up and peered over her shoulder. "Yeah well, it's time for a change . . . don't you think baby girl?"

Taji watched as Kuro jumped onto the ground, and onto the patio before wading into the house. Aka snorted as he hopped next to Taji. "He's a bastard."

Taji stared at the door. "Something's wrong . . . he's been acting strange lately."

Inuakamori scowled as he sat down on the branch, his leg dangling over the side as he tugged his button down shirt open. "Well, he can go to hell for all I care. How's Kitohoshi doing?"

Taji shrugged. "He should be fine, since Uncle Sesshomaru explained to the youkai at the school the situation. Nyoko and Taura wouldn't let anything happen to him. They should be in last period. When they get home, he's safest here."

Aka shrugged as he stared off into the distance. "Don't you just think that it's been too quiet? That something's going to happen?"

Taji sat down next to her brother, laying her head on his shoulder. "I don't know . . . I guess things are destined to happen because the Shikon No Tama has been discovered---"

Kagome stormed out the house, her tail wagging frantically as she secured her bows and arrows in her hand.InuYasha ran right out after her, Taji and Aka ran up to her as she growled. Kuro and InuYasha walked out of the house, and Kuro handed Aka his sword. "Taji, do you feel that?"

Taji closed her eyes. "Yes . . . what is it?"

InuYasha snarled. "It's . . . it's not Naraku, yet it is."

Taji looked off into the distance, and a huge explosion had occured in the direction of the school. She gasped as InuYasha handed her her twin blades. She twirled them in her hands, and held them at her sides as Kagome sniffed the air. "Sora . . . I smell blood. We . . . we have to hurry!" She panted.

Taji didn't have to be told twice. In a flash she was leaping towards the school, running as fast as she could as her father and brother's darted ahead of her. Her mother, who was running next to her, didn't look at her as worry wrinkled her features. _'Sora . . .please be alright.'_

Taji skidded to a stop as Nakabashi fell on his back right in front of her, a large gash on his shoulder. He grimaced and stood up, slapping his hands over his wound as he panted. Children and adults screamed and ran around frantically. Taji sighed as she sniffed the air, relieved no one had been injured and that they were the only ones still sticking around. A fairly large behemoth looking youkai growled as Nyoko hopped on his back and thrusted her fangs into it's tough skin. Sora walked out of the building with Taura limping on his shoulder. He stopped when they were far out of reach, and sighed when Aka took a hold of her. "What happened?"

Sora flinched. "I was sitting in class---" Taji walked up and blocked an oncoming energy bolt as her father rushed into battle. "---when this thing just hopped into the classroom. Nyoko had began attacking it, and Taura got hurt while we were trying to escape."

Taji fumed as Kuro lunged into battle helping his father. He cried out as the behemoth tossed Nyoko off his back, and she collided with Kuro in midair. They groaned as they hit the ground with a sharp thud. Sora looked down at his chest again. "Taji . . . it's doing it again . . . "

Taji didn't pay him any mind as the behemoth opened it's mouth and shot a ball of energy towards her. She blocked the attack with a miko barrier, and with a cry of anguish, bared her blades and sliced the youkai in his leg. It cried out and stood on it's hind legs, whirling about frantically, knocking Taji, her father and Kuro a couple of yards away. They groaned as a sharp light was heard and the behemoth was struck between the eyes. Sesshomaru landed neatly on the ground and scowled at the beast.

Sora scurried back a little with fear as Kagome nocked back and released an arrow, which didn't make it close enough to hit the behemoth. She gasped and tried again and again, but it didn't work. InuYasha, who was trying to strike it with his blade, called for Kagome to get somewhere safe before he was knocked back and stayed on the ground for a little bit. Aka and Kuro attacked in sync, never giving it a chance to strike them as Nyoko and her father lashed it with their energy whips. Taji leaped in the air and brought the blades to her chest. Looking down at the behemoth, she crossed them over her chest and closed her eyes. A beam shot out from the two blades, creating a large hole in the behemoth before it screamed and burst into ashes. She landed on the floor neatly and fell to her knees.

Sora sat on the ground with Taura, panting frantically as the ashes combined and formed a little ball of energy. It looked like a hovering flare of fire, but it just ran around frantically. The Shikon No Tama found it's way out of Sora's shirt. He reached to grab it, and the ball of energy came flying towards him before it enveloped the jewel.

Everyone watched, dumbfounded as the jewel glittered, causing Sora to have a pink hue. Then, the little ball of energy was sucked into the jewel, and the jewel found it's way back into Sora's shirt, and the throbbing ceased. Taura stared at his chest. "Whoa . . . "

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Nakabashi groaned as he opened his eyes and stared at the icy blue orbs that looked down on him. He barked with surprise and sat up, yelping when his shoulder felt as if it was on fire and looked around with panic. "Calm down Hiroyima, you're safe now." 

Nakabashi shook his head as his vision focused and he glared at the blonde hair that was Sora. "Hey kid, how are you doing?"

Sora shrugged. "I'm okay, I guess. The monster's gone, so . . . how do you feel?"

Nakabashi laughed softly and grimaced. "Like hell."

Taji walked into the room and placed a plate of suspicious looking vegetables on the bed next to Nakabashi and sank to her knees next to the bed, her ears flattening on her head as she whimpered. "Sorry we arrived so late . . . "

Hiroyima winced and rubbed Taji's head playfully. "Don't worry about it. As long as the kid's fine, right?"

Taji didn't look like she agreed, but she watched as he peeled the bandages off of his arm to take a look at the wound. Sora watched as the blood covered cloth dropped on his lap, and he quickly looked away when nausea began to flutter in his stomach. Taji sniffed the wound cautiously and backed up quickly when Nakabashi raised his eyebrows at her. "Sorry. Curious."

The detective laughed as he looked it over. "What . . . you've never seen a bone deep wound before?"

Taji blushed and shook her head as she lowered herself so that only her eyes peeped above the edge of the bed. "Mama always sends me out of the room."

Sora nearly laughed as Taji began wiggling her bottom before she lunged up and looked at the wound again, bumping heads with the detective. She didn't look dazed though as she sniffed it again and wrinkled her nose. "It's amazing how blood smells, isn't it? Disgusting, yet satisfying at the same time."

Sora looked a little creeped out by Detective Nakabashi's outburst, but from the way Taji looked away, it must have been true. He wondered : Just how hard was it as a youkai and hanyou to fight back the temptations of bloodlust? When the urge comes to bathe their fangs in the warm blood of their prey, how do they fight it off; or do they? Sora shuddered as he pictured the sweet, young girl he knew on all fours, her jaws locked around the helpless throat of a human girl, her mouth and teeth drenched in blood as she threw her head back and unleashed a bloodcurling howl that made the moon quiver with fears. Fear washed over him, brought him back to reality like a douse of cold water as Taji peered at him through large amber eyes. "Is something wrong? You look a little pale."

Sora plastered a fake smile on his face and shook his head, waving of her concerns. "Hiroyima, aren't you supposed to be eating your greens?"

Taji pinned the detective with a glare as he chuckled nervously andpicked up the plate, scowling at the food. Taking the fork, he took a big mouthful and reluctantly chewed it and swallowed. Taji nearly barked with excitement. "Well? How does it taste?"

He forced a smile. "Wonderful."

Sora nearly cracked with laughter as Taji clapped her hands with joy. "Great! I cooked it myself with one of Hanako's petals! They are supposed to help you heal you know."

Nakabashi sent Sora a panicked glance, and with a deep breath, Sora grasped one of Taji's ears and flicked it softly. They quirked and moved around like little radars, and she narrowed her eyes at him as he stood up and held out a hand to help her up. She took his hands and narrowed her eyes at him as he turned her around and placed his hand in the small of her back, pushing her out the room with his head bowed. Once they were out of the room, he closed the door with his heel and continued to push her until they were at the back door. "Out."

"You're kicking me out my own house?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "Not exactly. I'm putting you outside. Call it time out."

She wrinkled her nose as she marched outside and made a show of hopping into the closest tree. Sora chuckled as he slowly walked over to the tree, sliding down the bark and sitting on the ground, twirling his finger in the grass as the wind blew his hair into his face. Taji snorted as she crossed her arms over her chest and forced herself not to stare down at his lonely figure. "My old man's gone, and it seems everyone is getting hurt all because of me. Aka, Kuro, Nakabashi, and you. Mother . . . she was the worst of all of you."

Taji cocked an eye open and leaned over the branch to look at Sora. He had his knees pressing into his chest, with his head hidden between them. "Kitohoshi . . . "

"I . . . I just don't know what it is. Is it karma? Have I done something in a past life? Why is everything . . . why is everything happening to me?"

Taji whimpered as she dug her nails into the bark of the tree. "Don't . . . don't think like that. It's not good for you . . . or for the jewel."She grimaced.

Sora did too. "The jewel, eh? Is it because of the jewel that all this stuff is happening?"

Taji could see, taste and smell his sadness. It lashed about in his aura, caused her own youki to back down in fear as anger washed over the fear and left her feeling breathless as he fell silent, his breathing ragged. The smell of salty tears stung her nose, yet she could tell that they hadn't been released from his sapphire gaze just yet; they were close coming. She hopped off of the tree and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, pulling him close as she broke into a soft rumbling that left him feeling soothed and relaxed.

She smiled as he brought his head up and laid in on her shoulder, sighing heavily as his eyes drifted close, though he wasn't quite sleep. More like drifting off, but Taji could tell it wasn't long. "During the battle . . . you did good not to panic."

Sora shrugged. "What good would have it done? I'd just get even more in the way anyway."

Taji sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair. "It's just that . . . when we youkai and hanyou become weak, or take a severe wound like Hiroyima to the point we are losing a massive amount of blood in a short time, our youkai blood takes over to ensure our survival. But when that happens, we seldom have control, we go on a bloodthirsty hunt. Nakabashi was close to losing control, and if you would have panicked, we might have lost him forever."

"F-Forever?"

Taji nodded and laid her head on his. "When we lose control and bathe our fangs in blood, it's very hard to come back, even when we get help from others. But because of mother's miko powers, the twins and I, including her do not have to worry about transforming into our youkai state."

"What about Nyoko? Or Sesshomaru?"

Taji shrugged. "Well, since they are youkai, I guess their blood simply goes into overdrive. Sesshomaru can transform into a larger form, but I don't think Nyoko can do it because her mother is a cat youkai, which means she is a mixed breed. But now that I think about it, because of her mixed blood, she is more likely to lose control because dogs and cats have short tempers, and now those two bloodlines are mixed inside of her. She seldom opened her mouth at all, but she seems happier and more open now."

Sora sighed as he sat up straight and scooted away from Taji. His eyes darkened into a midnight color, causing his face to look more mature and handsome. Taji's breath caught in her throat as his scent spiked and left goosebumps all over her, and flashes of that embarrassing, yet breath taking night in her room left her feeling dazed and groggy. Her cheeks burned with color as her throat went dry and all ability to communicate vanished. All this happened when he spared her a glance that lasted no more than three seconds. She gasped as she slapped her hand over her chest and demanded her heart slowed down. "Mother always said father was changing before our very eyes. She said that soon it would be time for her to go away in order to save him. Then a month later, that's when the abuse started. Nakabashi said that he's gone. What does he mean?"

Taji shrugged. "I . . . I don't know. Mother won't discuss it with me. I think . . . I think it would be much better for you and her if you ask her yourself."

"For her?"

"Mother . . . Mother is a very compassionate and caring person. If she had the ability to save you from the hurt you were experiencing now, she'd drive herself to near death in order to help you. She has a heart of gold, and seeing someone hurting like this, it takes it's toll on her more than I can ever understand."

Sora's eyes darkened to another shade as pain flashed over his features, then disappeared as soon as it had come. "Mother . . . Mother was like that too. That's why it made me wonder how the old man could . . . how could he hurt her like that?"

Taji watched as his shoulders began shaking and he looked away from her. Moments later, he stood up and walked around to the other side of the tree. But Taji didn't have to be next to him to know he was crying. She could hear his sobs and smell his tears.

It stung her nose; but that was in no comparison to how it stung her heart. _'I'm . . . I'm so sorry Sora.'_

_'All that pain . . . all that hurt . . . it's been more than eleven years, Taji. He hasn't said anything about the pain he feels inside. I don't think . . . I don't think sorry's going to cut it this time.' _

Taji gasped as a tear slipped down her cheek . _'I know it's not . . . but's it's all I can do. It's all I have.'_

_'Give him what you want to. Give him what he wants.' _

_'How can I know what he wants, when he's like . . . like this? I can feel the years of hurt starting to unfold, but I have a feeling that there is much more than he's showing.' _

_'He needs to talk to her . . . he needs to see her. Give him the gift of yourself and take him to see her, and he'll be alright.' _

_'How can you be so sure?'_ She dashed a hand over her eyes as she felt the soft thud of his sitting down and could hear him scraping his nails in the hard dirt. Wincing, she pressed her claws into the bark, trying to get through to him, could feel him slipping away from her. _'How do you know that everything will be alright?'_

_'Because . . . _she_ told me.'_

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Okay, I have bad news. There is that blasted threat of losing the internet **again**, and I think this time my stepfather is serious. So that means I won't be able to update every day like I try to do, probably once a week or whatever. I have to walk up a **HUGE** hill, (like I have stated before) to get to the library and it's like **80 degrees** tops **everyday**, and that's not something I would do, especially if I am heavy set. Sorry for the incovienence. _

_Also, I have decided that Sora might have his own series. It'll be like the original plot, with Naraku or whatever, I don't know I have to get it together. So I just wanted to state that so this way when I finish up the **Covetousness** sequels and start on another project with the same characters people won't be like _'What?

_Enjoy!_


	14. Freedom

**_Freedom_**

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Taji smiled as she hugged Sora happily. Finally, it was the summer break, and they had both passed with flying colors. But Taji knew that things were going to get harder next year because they had to end early because of the unusual memory blotches that the teachers were experiencing. The truth was, in fact, there had been numerous attacks for Sora, and in an attempt to keep the youkai secret, a powder that only effected humans had been sprayed thanks to Hanako's mysterious flower capabilities, and now all was well since the Tokyo High School Administration had decided to close the school until the next year began. 

Sora was over Taji's house, enjoying as the family sparred in the backyard with ease. It had been almost two weeks since he had seen his father, and local FBI had come looking for him when someone had reported him missing. After begging Taji, he had refrained from confirming their assumption of child abuse, and thanks to Sesshomaru, all questions about him residing with the Taisho's were not asked due to a request to the youkai that worked for the police department. After they had left though, Sora had fell silent, but after a good talk with Kagome, he felt much better as he stretched and took a long drink from his bottle of water. "It sure feels good today." He noted aloud.

She smiled and bared her fangs, letting the sun reflect off of them playfully as she stretched. "Yea, it's really nice."

Sora blushed. "How about we . . . go out for the day."

Taji nodded. "Okay, let me call Nyoko and Taura---"

He grabbed her arm before she could make off to get the phone. "No! I mean . . . just me and you."

Taji's mouth opened in a form of an embarrassed 'oh' as she sank in her chair, pinked colored with a tinge of pink as her gaze fell to her lap. "Oh . . . okay. Where do you want to go?"

Sora shrugged and raked his fingers through his hair. "I . . . whereever you want to go is fine with me."

Taji smiled and took his hand. She glanced around nervously, and when she was sure noone had noticed them, they slipped away quietly, giggling happily until they bumped into a jade eyed visitor who regarded them with a raised eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

Taji clapped her hand over his mouth and peeked over her shoulder, sighing when noone looked at the place that they were residing in. "Out, okay? Just don't tell Papa."

"Don't tell InuYasha----Oh, I get it," He chuckled softly. "You're going on a date!"

She blushed furiously as Sora stumbled and coughed. Shaking her head, and hit him in the forehead softly, not enough to hurt him. He laughed. "Don't worry lovebirds, I'm not going to say anything to InuYasha."

Taji gave him a dark look before her and Sora slipped out of the room and into the security of the streets of Tokyo. Taking Sora's hand, they smiled and ran through the streets, bustling past children and the elderly, past the people in the middle age group, and right into the ice cream palor. Sora shifted from one foot to the other nervously in line as Taji ordered them some ice cream. Ignoring the questioning glances a lot of the children were sending him, it didn't make him feel much better when a group of them began to snicker. Taji, who seemed oblivious to it all, took their ice cream, handed it to Sora, and with her free hand, led him to a booth in the far corner of the bright yellow store.

She happily licked at her ice cream, and frowned when Sora hardly touched it. "What's wrong?"

Sora nodded to a young little girl who was red faced and had terrible freckles. She was scowling at the both of them, and Sora shuddered as he felt a familiar presence around this girl. "Why is she looking at me like that?"

Taji shrugged, even though she kept looking at the girl. "You're carrying the Shikon No Tama. With youkai, that's going to happen a lot, so don't worry about it."

He didn't look like he believed her, but he shrugged and began eating his melting ice cream. Taji laid her hand over his and sighed. He turned to stone. She smiled at him warmly, something lit behind the depths of her gaze as he just stared at her, dumbfoundedly. She flushed and shook her head, laughing nervously but nevertheless still had her hand atop his. "T-Taji?"

She giggled. "Kitohoshi . . . your face looks like it's going to explode."

He swallowed a lump of ice cream and nearly choked when his stomach flipped. "Taji? I . . . "

How would he say it? Why wouldn't it come out of his mouth? Now was the perfect time, and his tongue was tied in knots. He opened his mouth a couple of times, then snapped it shut just to open it back up. Taji sighed and shook her head. "I guess this isn't going to come easy for you . . . so I'm just going to say it. Sora, I like you, a lot."

Sora sat there, mouth gaping, ice cream dripped as Taji ran her fingers through her hair, her cheeks colored with embarrassment as she averted her gaze. "Taji?"

"I . . . I just thought maybe I was so happy to be with you because we were friends, but then it dawned on me when I saw you helping Taura. I like you, Sora, and I was just wondering . . . I was wondering . . . "

"I like you too," He said, a softl whisper. He knew she heard it, however. She gasped and raised her eyes to look at him to find he was staring at her, his icy blue eyes shining like the sea itself. "I was a little scared to tell you . . . but I think I'm glad that I did."

She looked like she wanted to cry. She looked like she wanted to weep and wail. But instead, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. The soft skin of her lips left a scorch on his face, left him shuddering as his eyes drifted close. He counted before he dared open them. Her eyes were darkened and bright, a beautiful hazel color as she stared at him intently, folding her fingers in his just as her cell phone began ringing. "They'll call back." She whispered when Sora looked at her expectantly.

He smiled as he sat next to her.

"So, Mr.Miko," She said softly. "What do you want to do on this date?"

He shrugged as he scooted closer, allowed her to feed him a spoonful of her ice cream. "I don't know, how about a movie?"

Taji flushed and giggled as he kissed her cheek and ignored the stares that were coming from all around them. She was completely happy with being with him, no one there to disturb them, no one there to do anything to ruin the moment.Sora whimpered playfully and sighed when she gave him another taste of her ice cream. "Yours is right there," She commented dryly.

He chuckled. "Yours tastes better." He countered with a shrug. Rolling her eyes, she allowed him to hungrily devour the rest of her ice cream without complaining, watching in absolute amazement when his eyes glowed, causing the booth around them to have a holy shine as she became lost in the depths of his gaze. "Sora," She whispered, her voice so soft it startled him.

He sighed happily, licked his lips. "Hmmm?"

"I . . . I think I want to kiss you . . . "

"What's stopping you?" He murmured back.

_Sora smiled and leaned his back on the wall, watching the feet of hundreds of kids shuffle through the hallway to their next class. "I mean, you two are commited. It's completely wrong for me to interfere."_

_"Me and Kazuki . . . it was a long time ago. I didn't even remember!"_

_"But you do now."_

_"Sora . . . I don't want to be with Kazuki because . . . let's just say that things will get complicated."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_She rubbed the toe of her shoe on the floor. "My family line gets more in-depth than you think. If I be with him, that means that I'll have to move away."_

_"What's stopping you?"_

_"You."_

_Sora looked awestruck for a moment, then he shrugged and looked at her. Her eyes were dark with tears, glazed over with sadness as his annoyance outwitted her guilt. He was amazed at just how manipulative, yet innocent she could be at the same time. "If I'm stopping you," He said, pushing himself off the wall and jamming his hands in his pockets. "Then don't talk to me anymore."_

Her breath caught in her throat as she quickly looked away, as his face twisted into the same scowl he had months ago. He turned into the same Sora that broke her heart, the same Sora that held her soul and yet threw it away time and time again. He lifted her chin to look at him, concern evident in his gaze. "What's the matter?"

"It's just . . . what you said that day, when I told you that I didn't like Kazuki . . . "

Sora sighed and ran his fingers through his hair before hugging her tightly, understanding how she felt at that moment. "That hurt me more than it hurt you . . .He had everything to give you when I had nothing." He whispered into her neck.

She shuddered lightly as goosebumps erupted all over her skin. "Sora . . . material things don't mean anything to me."

Sora sighed. "Something as perfect as you . . . how will someone like me ever deserve something as precious as a dove's feather?"

Taji was touched by his confession. Biting her lip to keep from crying, when he looked up at her, she knew it was true. "I . . . Sora . . . "

"Taji,"

"I . . . Kitohoshi . . . "

" . . . Kiss me."

Taji gasped as her cheeks burned. She felt Sora's hands in her hair before her face was lowered slowly. Her lips were parted, her breathing ragged as she allowed her eyes to flutter close, awaited the fireworks and the beauty of what was to come.

"Oi! What the hell! _Kitohoshi!_"

_'Oh, my,God . . . ' _

_'We're going to die, aren't we?' _

Taji opened her eyes, recognized the long silver hair of her father and the bouncy orange hair of her foster brother. Groaning when Shippou erupted in laughter, she noticed the scowl of her father telling them they had just bought a one way ticket to hell. _'Think bigger._ Way _bigger.'_

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

"So you guys," Taura began. 

Sora nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Are together now?" Nyoko finished.

Taji smiled. "Yup."

"InuYasha's going to have a fit you know," Shippou commented as he munched on a cracker in the doorway, eavesdropping on the conversation. Taji looked a little worried, but Sora didn't look the least bit scared. "So I'd think twice before I'd put in in Tokyo Digest."

Sora snorted. "Does he even read the newspaper?"

Taura giggled. "He doesn't need to. He finds everything out before they do."

Sora flinched as Taji gave him a reassuring look, shooting Shippou a dark glance when he began laughing. He sat down at the table, and caught a cracker in his mouth when Taura chucked it at him. Taji and Sora had decided to take on the dating status as of earlier today, and decided to tell the two just in case something happened. But now thinking about it, Taji was worried about Sora's safety. InuYasha, true enough, was going to have a baby because of what happened at the parlor. Popping a cracker into her mouth, she tried to make sense of it all when Sora laid his head on her shoulder, as if to tell her everything was alright without having to open his mouth. She smiled at the gesture and toyed with his hair, freezing when an angry, yet familiar youki battled her own. "What the hell are you doing with my daughter Kitohoshi?"

Sora turned to stone as InuYasha growled behind him. Taji counted in her head before she whimpered. InuYasha reached forward and moved Sora's head, shoving him to the side before planted himself between the two. "Daddy!" She squeaked when he flattened his ears and flat out growled at Sora.

InuYasha shot her a look meant to silence her as he scowled at Sora. "I knew this was going to happen," He growled as he hit the table. "Damn it all to hell! Your mother never listens to me."

Taji was infuriated. Her cheeks were burning, and she felt her temper slowly receeding with her father's immaturity. "Well Daddy, nothing is going to happen, so you can go do whatever you were going to do."

"Sora can come with me."

"No he can't."

"Why not?"

"Because we are discussing something important."

"Like what, dating?"

When Taji's face exploded in color, InuYasha growled at Sora again. "Keh! I thought I told you no dating until someone could whip my ass?"

Taji shot up in her chair before shooting her father a dark glance, much like the one Kagome gave him before she subdued him with the kotodama rosary. Growling deep within her throat, she stomped out of the room and slammed the door in her wake, making them all wince as InuYasha whimpered. Shippou stifled a laugh. "InuYasha, unless you want a reincarnation of Kagome with the 'osuwari' spell, I think you'd better talk to Taji."

He turned to Sora and demanded he didn't move. Sora rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as InuYasha stomped out of the room much like his daughter. Sora heard Taji bark really loudly before she shrieked to the top of her lungs, "_I'm telling Mama!"_

Taura winced as Nyoko and Shippou laughed. Sora looked confused. "I don't get it . . . "

Shippou placed a hand on his shoulder. "Stick around kid," He said softly. "It'll be the best show you've seen in weeks."

_'These people are weird.' _

_'Tell me about it.' _Sora watched in confusion as Taji stomped into the room and grabbed Sora by his forearm, yanking him out of his chair just as InuYasha entered the room. "See this? He's my boyfriend! B-O-Y-F-R-I-E-N-D!"

Sora gasped as oxygen refused to circulate throughout his body. InuYasha glowered at him like he was going to use him for a scratch post. "Really? So I guess it wouldn't matter if I kill the little bastard . . . "

Sora yelped when InuYasha took a step forward. Taji stepped in front of him. "I'm not playing with you Papa! I'm going to tell Mama that you won't let me do anything!"

InuYasha winced as he threw his hands up in the air. Stomping of of the backdoor, Sora winced when there was a loud earthquake and he could see the form of a tree falling to the ground. "Taji . . . is he going to kill me?"

Taura giggled as Sora scowled. "He won't touch you as long as the Mama threat is still there."

Sora felt relieved for a moment until Shippou took his hand and led him upstairs. Shutting the door behind them, he pointed to the bed, and sighed when Sora sat down. He paced the floor, rubbing his forehead with his fingers before he began speaking. "When you first got the jewel . . . you said you saw a little girl and a rabbit?"

Sora nodded. "Yea . . . now that I think about it, the girl looked a lot like that picture of Taji . . . except she had brown hair, really really long brown hair."

Shippou looked relieved and a little guiltstriken as he sighed. "Okay, good. What else did you see?"

I remember seeing this big light and the girl holding the rabbit, but I can't remember much else. Why are you asking me this?"

Shippou winced as Taji's voice rang throughout the hall. "Don't tell anyone else about this, alright? If you ever have another vision, come and tell me about it."

Sora agreed just as Taura opened the door. Shooting Shippou a suspicious glance, she snatched Sora out of the room and back down the hall.

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

_torrianse, torrianse_

_koko wa doko no hosomichi jya  
tenjin-sama no hosomichi jya _

_chotto toshite kudashanse  
goyo no nai mono toshasenu _

_kono ko no nanatsu no iwai ni  
ofuda o osame ni mairimasu_

_iki wa yoi yoi, kaeri wa kowai  
kowainagara _

_torrianse, torrianse _

_Yutamiki stared at him, fascination as well as amazement glazing her eyes over at how charming Shippou had grown to be. She blushed at how his fangs shined in the moonlight, how his jade eyes stood out, giving his face and hair a eerie glow. He seemed to perfect to be demon, yet to different to be human. She smiled warmly as she stared at him somemore, wondering how to attain that much beauty that kept her in awe. He noticed her staring and blushed as his laughter died down, replaced by chuckles of nervousness and uncomfort._

_"Beautiful…" She whispered, looking into his eyes than quickly looking to the moonlight. "It's beautiful tonight." It was Shippou's turn to stare now. Her big browned eyes glowed in the darkness, and her ebony hair shimmered in the moonlight, covering her like a blanket. She absently ran her fingers through the long mass, humming silently to herself, oblivious that she was the only thing right now to him. Becoming tired of raking her hair, she began braiding it to the side, letting it hang off her shoulder. Realizing that she had no hair band, she clucked her teeth before Shippou shoved his blue one under her nose. She looked at it then at him as his brunette hair flowed down his shoulders like a waterfall. She smiled before she took it, tying it to the end of the braid, making sure to let some hair fall freely, which was still enough to tickle her legs as she barely braided half of it._

_She now waved it in the air in rhythm to Shippou's tail with a smile. He giggled and reached over, touching her hair softly._

_"It's so pretty, like Kagome's. She has beautiful hair." Yutamiki thanked him for his compliment and and looked down. Shippou sighed before taking hold of her hand shyly, surprising her. He avoided her gaze and stared out into the distance as she laced her fingers in his and squeezed it tight before cuddling closer to him._

_"Your mother, what was her name?"_

_"Yurihana." She said with a sigh._

_"That's why when we met you,"_

_"__I had the lilies. Her name means lily flower."_

_"And your name means…"_

_"Superior beauty."_

_"It fits you." Shippou said as his face took on a pink hue. He sniffed her cautiously and smiled._

_"Your kaori, it's like hakubaiku."_

_"You don't like it?" She said sadly. Shippou shook his head roughly._

_"No! I don't mean that, it's just, soothing…" She smiled and cuddled closer to him as he dug his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent deeply._

_"I want to visit her grave every month. Only InuYasha knows, but I want you to come with me. Only you, I want her to meet you…" Shippou nodded and smiled as he grabbed her waist and hopped off of the roof._

_"Sure. Next month then, and every day we can bring her some yuris. Yuris for Yurihana." Yutamiki smiled as Shippou followed her into the hut. _

'Whoa . . . Shippou? Is this the same guy that was with me today? He was so little . . . Where are they?'

_Yutamiki looked around even though she couldn't see anything in the darkness. She heard her mother's voice, though it sounded more of pain than joy. She ran towards the source, ignoring the burn and scorch in her lungs and she pushed harder and harder, her hair falling behind her like a cape. She entered a clearing to see two men standing there she recognized as her father. One of him, stood looking at her, his heart empty, and she sensed no life and warmth in this man. Another man was standing there, in a glass jar, banging on it for his life as it filled with sand. The other man, his dark and dead half, began to laugh and snicker as a woman appeared before him with chains wrapped around her neck arms and legs. _

_Yutamiki screamed as she ran towards them, being stopped by a claw that rested on her shoulder. Hisaki stood there, smiling at her evilly. _

"_Your mother's not here to save you know…" She sneered before she planted a cold dry kiss on her head. Yutamiki shuddered and pulled away from the girl as she saw her mother beginning to glow, making the darker half of her father not be able to touch her. Hisaki laughed as she disappeared. _

"_Everything has been taken form you little girl, and you shall soon fall prey to me." Her father in the glass jar vanished as well, calling out to her as the chains dropped from her mother and she held her arms out to her. Yutamiki ran to her as everything became dark, not allowing her to see anything. Then, she heard her mother's beautiful voice…._

'This little girl . . . is this . . . Yutamiki? Her and Shippou . . . I don't understand . . . oh, my head . . . '

_A young girlblinked her eyes as the darkness that clouded her mind faded away and the pain at he chest slowly diminished. Even though it was hazy, she found herself in the same garden that she was before, except a whispering voice was calling to her, begging for her to answer. _

_Are you awake . . . _

_Who are you . . . _

_The child within yourself . . . you've freed the child within yourself . . . _

_Wha---the child within myself. . . ._

_My daughter . . . my dear, dear daughter. . . do you remember those days when you were young, and you used to cry for hours at a time. Or now, when you felt that InuYasha hurt you more than he ever realized, you used to keep that pain bottled up, creating the child within yourself. _

_I . . . I don't understand. _

_When a person constantly suffers pain, it forms dark energy in their soul. That's where most demons like Naraku start out. But you, a miko with a pure heart, instead you created a separate being, unleashing the child within you that was lost and didn't have anybody to turn to. But, you have freed the child within yourself. _

_The child . . . who's the child?_

_Darling. . . have you not realized that a young child resembles everything about you, even shared the same hopes with you when you were younger? Have you failed to realize the similarities? _

_I . . . _

_Get up. _

_I . . . I can't. Everything is too heavy . .. Help me . . ._

_Unless you wish to see another day, unless you wish to see your family, your beloved hanyou , you will get up. _

_. . . I have to get up. . . . _

_Chikara Nanda Ai Shiteiru. Do not forget what you have learned. Farewell, my daughter. _

'Whose memories . . . why am I having these visions? These . . . these dreams? What's happening?'

"I see . . . you have finally been able to tap into the power of the Shikon No Tama. Well done, Sora. I didn't think you would have the power to possess this ancient artifact."

"I . . . who are you?"

"Does it truly matter who I am? You've known me all your life. Well, a part of me, anyway."

"I don't understand . . . why me? Why is this happening to me?"

"It will all come together after a while. But for now, you must become stronger. You must protect that what you must destroy."

* * *

**8:88:888:88:8**

* * *

Kazuyu playfully ruffled his little sisters hair as he walked into the room. She hugged him tight and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek before sitting back down, looking at the book in front of her with interest. "I don't see anything . . . " 

Nyoko sighed as she toyed with the little pendant on her chest. Shaking her head, she turned to pin Taji with a stare. "If he's having dreams, then surely they are visions, especially if he saw you in them."

Taji shrugged as Kazuyu hugged her shoulders. "I don't know . . . he told me that the dreams weren't normal . .. and when he woke up, the jewel was levitating."

"Well, there's nothing in this journal." Taura remarked, closing the book as Mrs.Higurashi walked into the room with a plate full of cookies and a bright smile on her face. Frowning at the disturbed faces all around her, she toyed with Taji's ears as she chucked a cookie at Nyoko, who caught it with her mouth and blushed. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Kazuyu snorted. "Yeah, if they'd just open their mouth."

Taji looked at her grandmother. "Did Mama used to have dreams about things that used to happen in the past? Like little girls, or hearing someone else's conversation?"

Mrs. Higurashi frowned as she scratched her head. "I remember her having the visions, but never anything of that sort. Why?"

Taji sighed as she laid her head on the table with a soft thump. Shaking her head as she flattened her ears against her grandmother's fingers, she felt the pangs of a headache tugging at her sanity. Groaning, she lifted her head to catch a cookie Taura tossed her way. "Well, why don't we just ask Aunt Gome?"

Taji growled. "I don't want to get my parents involved in this, especially since Papa's on a war path ever since that day at the ice cream palor. I think . . ."

Kazuyu shrugged and took a cookie off of the plate. "I think you guys are thinking too much. Why don't you just calm down? It's probably just nothing, anyway. He probably overheard the story when he was sleeping or something, and it's just his imagination."

Taura rolled her eyes and tossed Nyoko a cookie, ignoring the dark look the youkai gave her. Taura tossed another one to Taji, and flipped one her brother's way, giggling when he caught it in between his teeth. "I swear . . . sometimes I think you are youkai."

Kazuyu jammed his hands into his pockets and blew a hoarse breath. "Taura, can I talk to you? In the other room?"

Taura gave him a worried look, and excused herself from the room. Taji watched her with avid interest, before she shrugged and met the piercing gaze of her cousin. "What?"

"Just who long do you plan to ignore it? I know as well as you do that this disturbs you more than ever, especially if he's experiencing the feelings that they felt a long time ago."

Taji shook her head and slammed her hands down on the table, wrinkling her nose at her cousin's assessment as she smashed the small triangles on her head and bit her lip. "No, it's like Kazuyu said . . . only his imagination. It's not what we think."

Nyoko didn't comment. Instead, she reached for another cookie. "Mother . . . maybe she would be the best person to talk about this with."

Taji growled in irritation. "No! I told you, everything is okay. I don't need anyone's help!"

Nyoko bared her fangs as she placed her hands threateningly close to Taji, bringing her face close. "You fail to realize, that for once in your life, this isn't about you. You can't stand the fact that for once in your life, you don't have a clue as to what to do."

Taji jerked her face away, though her scowl was still in place as she folded her arms together and tore the skin on her lip. Nyoko grimaced as the tang of her blood drifted into her nostrils, and she gave her a napkin. "I told you," She said, intercepting Nyoko's questioning stare. "Everything is fine. We'll both be fine."

Nyoko didn't say anything, she just stood up and sauntered over to the doorway, her back stiff, proud and arrogant. But she turned on her heel and shot Taji a dark look. "You can't ignore it forever. You have the blood of a miko coursing through you, but nothing would stop youkai blood from protecting it's mate, do you know that? The ferocious desire to keep him from harm astounds me. Yet when you realize that you need the aid of someone else, then you'd rip off your own head before you ask for help. The trademark of InuYasha No Taisho indeed."

Taji fumed as Nyoko gave a small laugh and walked out. She dug her claws into the soft carpet, growling and digging her fangs into her lip as she fought the desire to run into the hallway and dig her nails into the back of the youkai's neck. True, Taji had never been good with asking for help. But the thing was, she never needed to. Her family was always there to help her, even when she didn't ask for it. _'She's wrong,_' Taji thought stubbornly, wincing as her nail scraped against something cold and hard. _'I'd never allow anything to hurt Sora, and my youkai blood would never override my human blood. Mother's miko power is too strong, right? No way that would happen, right?' _

She shook her head as she pulled her nail out of the carpet, only to dig them back in when Nyoko's scent hit her hard. The young woman had been standing right in the hallway, watching her every move. Taji whined. Her senses were dulling, and it couldn't be a worst time for something like this to happen to her. Standing up, she releashed her ears and allowed them to move freely. "Nyoko, why don't you call your father and tell him to bring Sora over? I'd feel much better if he was here with me."

Nyoko didn't say anything for a while. But after a long sigh, Taji could hear her walking away. "Very well."

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Sorry that this update took so long, I had to go over to my grandmother's house! Enjoy!_


	15. Sora's Birthday

**_Sora's Birthday_**

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8 _**

* * *

"You rang?" 

Sora walked into the room with a huge smile on his face, his hands behind his back as he looked at Taji, who was sitting on the couch. She smiled and held out her hand for him to sit with her. "Yeah, tonight's the night, and I'd feel better if you was here with me. What took you guys so long?"

Sora blanched a little. "Nothing, I was just in my room talking to my mother . . . a picture of her, anyway. She was telling me happy birthday."

"Happy---Today's your birthday? You never told me about your birthday!Oh, my God!"

Sora laughed and placed his hand on Taji's shoulder when she tried to stand. "It's okay, I'd rather not celebrate my birthday anyway."

Taji frowned but didn't comment as they flipped through the T.V channels. Nyoko walked into the room, sprawling out on the floor with her face cradled in her hand. Shooting Sora a absent minded look, she looked bored with his presence and chose not to comment on anything because Taji was staring holes into her head. "Have there been any attacks?"

Taji shrugged. "I haven't heard about any, but I feel a strange youki near by . . . "

"Oh, that? It's just Nakabashi."

Taji giggled when they heard a loud boom outside, followed by the shrine doors being thrown open. "Thanks for telling the word Taisho."

Nyoko waved off his irritation and watched the news with avid interest. Nakabashi dug in his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Happy Birthday, kid."

Sora looked a little surprised, and opened the envelope. Inside was two tickets to go to the movies, plus a wad of money. "Whoa . . . this is too much, Nakabashi. I don't think . . . "

Nakabashi rolled his eyes. "Every year I gave you more and more money. You never thought it was too much then."

"Every year . . . That was you!"

Nakabashi shrugged offhandedly and looked over Sora's head to Taji, and winked. "There's two tickets, you know. I guess you can say this will be a type of date?"

Sora gave him a bored look. "How is it going to be a date with you breathing down my neck?"

Nyoko snorted. "He isn't going to follow you. The whole point of giving you the tickets, genius."

Taji stuck her tongue out at her cousin as Sora took her hand. "Do you want to go out with me to the movies?"

Taji blushed. "Sure!"

"She can't, not tonight."

Taji gasped. "Why not?"

Sora choked. "Um, Taji . . . your hair color is black again."

Taji groaned and jumped it, yelling she had to get dressed. Mrs. Higurashi walked into the room and frowned at Nakabashi. "Aren't you the detective---"

"---and a good friend of mines," Nyoko said quickly. "He's here with Sora, like a guardian. It's a long story, I'll explain it later. In the meantime, Sora is getting ready to go out. Do you have anything he can wear?"

Mrs.Higurashi smiled brightly and took Sora's hand, practically dragging him out the room with excitement. "I'm so glad I kept Souta's old clothes!"

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

"Crazy woman." 

Nyoko smiled. "Gotta love her."

"So, how is it to be the daughter of the tai-youkai?"

Nyoko scowled. "Crap."

"Really? Riches don't mean anything to you, like this generation?"

Nyoko shot him a dark look. "Do I look like this generation? I'm not even human, for Kami's sake! All that doesn't mean anything to me. What I would give just to live a normal life---"

"You desire to be human?"

"No, I desire for everyone to treat me like a regular person. Youkai shoot their noses up at me because of Father, humans hate me because of the money we possess and the power we have---"

Nakabashi sighed and scooted a little closer to her. "You just want to get away; right? Just fly away from it all?"

Nyoko looked up at him. Her yellow eyes sparkled slightly, her face taking on a longing look as she gazed at him for what seemed like forever. She blushed and looked away quickly, running her claws in light circles as her body erupted in tremors. "To be free like the wind . . . to soar above the people . . . that's my dream." She whispered.

Nakabashi bit the inside of his cheek to keep from whining. Blinking furiously, he reached forward, took her hand and helped her up. "C'mon, let's go."

"Where are we going? Grandmother doesn't know . . . "

Nakabashi chuckled and tugged at her hand again. "It's alright, we'll be right outside."

Nyoko smiled and allowed him to lead her outside, picking up the waist of her jeans as she giggled and trotted along behind. Dressed in a pair of oversized shorts and a long t-shirt, her small frame seemed nearly invisible to his eyes. Yet her presence was strong, arrogant, exciting.

Inside, Sora shifted unconfortably in his button down shirt and casual jeans as Taji walked into the room, a nervous blush tainting her cheeks. Thedark purplesilk dress she wore barely kissed her knees, her hair was finely brushed back and styled so that it fell over her face in light caresses. Her eyes, now violet like her dress, sparkled with excitement. "Well . . . how do I look?"

Mrs.Higurashi giggled as Sora turned a dark red color and stammered on his words. Shifting unnervously, still gawking at her, he couldn't find the right words to tell her that the dress fit every part of her just right. "You don't like it . . . "

Sora held up his hands in defense. "No! No, it's just; Whoa . . ."

She giggled and turned a darker color as her gaze raked over his body. She shuddered lightly. The blue shirt matched with his eyes, in the moonlight that seeped through the window giving him a eerie glow. His hair, which was now combed neat and elegantly, hung over his face, kissing his cheeks, his forehead, his neck. She whimpered again when he took her hand and kissed it lightly. "Shall we get going?"

Mrs.Higurashi cleared her throat. "No later than 12:30." She announced firmly. "InuYasha's going to kill me . . .Stay close to the shrine, and please . . . take your phone."

Taji giggled and kissed her grandmother. Sora, taking Taji's hand, nodded to Mrs.Higurashi and led her to the shrine doors, where they slipped around the two youkai standing there staring at each other. Nyoko blinked. "You guys look great . . . "

Taji twirled. Nakabashi whistled. "Wow, Sora. You better watch out with this one."

Sora, though he knew Nakabashi was only kidding around, shot him an evil look as Taji tugged him away. Nakabashi averted his gaze back to Nyoko. "Now, where were we?"

Nyoko stumbled as she gasped. He rolled his eyes, but caught her in the crook of his arm, cradling her against his chest as her heartbeat quickened and her cheeks turned a beet red color. She stared up at him, straining her neck as her eyes darkened, her breath carressing his chin and lips. He closed his eyes. "You . . . smell nice."

She giggled slightly. "My Father's going to kill you, you know."She supplied when his gaze fell to her lips.

He shrugged offhandedly. "If you ask me, the great tai-youkai owes me a favor---"

"Really?" She mumbled as he swept her up, walking over to the God Tree. "And what favor must that be?"

He rolled his eyes and shrugged, hopping into the tree with her and sitting down, cradling her in between his legs and pulling her tight. "I just saved you from busting your head a couple of minutes ago."

She waved off his statement. "That hardly gives you the right to woo his daughter."

He stiffened a little. "Wooing you, am I?"

She chuckled nervously and tried to squirm away. He tightened his hold around her, and growled. "You know, I remember the first time I saw you. I knew there was something different."

She shrugged and tried to squirm again. His hold tightened even more and when she whimpered, it immediately vanished, though not enough to allow her to escape his grasp."Different, how? I mean, I'm just an ordinary youkai---"

"No, your not," He whispered in her ear, his hold tightening again as he growled in her ear. The sound wasn't frightening, it made her body erupt in tremors, made goosebumps erupt all over her skin, it made her roll her head back and whine. "You're different from any other youkai I've ever seen. Me and you . . . That's my dream."

She gasped and sprang up, making his arms grate against her stomach. When he smelt the pain from the movement, he immediately let her go, watched as she simply leaned to the side and fell out of the tree, landing neatly on her face. Slamming her palms on her cheeks, she mumbled something he couldn't understand and ran back into the house.

Nakabashi rubbed his arm and scowled. _'What the hell was that?' _

_'Need I remind you she's only a pup? You're a grown ass man! Sheesh!' _

* * *

_**8:88:888:88:8**_

* * *

Taji giggled as she tugged Sora down the shrine steps. Stoppind midstride, she locked her hands behind her back and leaned forward, looking at him up through her eyelashes. Batting her eyes, he swallowed her and stepped back a little, praying that his eyes didn't falter. "So, birthday boy . . . what do you want to do?" 

'Think about what you say before you open your mouth---'"It's doesn't matter; whatever you want to do is fine with me."

She giggled and took his hands. "What I want to do, is what you want to do."

He rolled his eyes and pulled her close, hugging her for a quick moment. Passing people smiled and nodded respectfully, some wrinkling their noses as they passed them by. But they didn't care. Taji sighed and rested her head against his chest. Sora took a ragged breath and dug his nose into her hair. Taking her hand, he began walking away from the shrine. "I know where I want to go."

Taji giggled and allowed him to lead her. Noting the familiar things that they passed by, she frowned slightly when they approached a large building. It looked fairly different because the lights were off, there was no cars in the parking lot, and no children . . . "

"The school?" She asked incredulously.

Sora shrugged and led her to the staircase around the back of the building. "Well, I just thought that maybe we'd go where I first met you, you know? I was wishing it was in the park, but . . . "

She sighed and pressed closer to him, biting her lip as anticipation nagged at her mind. When they reached the end of the staircase, the roof, he led her over to the middle, holding her tight as they looked over the city that was Tokyo. The lights made it shine, the tall buildings and the moonlight made it all to much for her, and she whimper as two fat tears strolled down her face. Sora looked at her with concern. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, laying her head on his shoulder when he wrapped his arms around her. "It's just . . . It's just so beautiful .. . thank you."

Sora smiled and wiped her cheeks with the pad of his thumb. Then he pushed her bangs out of her eyes, staring down at her, his sapphire eyes shining like a diamond.

The moonlight made her eyes seem an almost unnatural color, gave her soft, creamy skin a blue look. Her long eyelashes tickled her cheeks, her slightly red cheeks giving her the look of an innocent child. She was too beautiful to be human, yet too human to be hanyou. Staring down at her, wrapping one of his arms around her waist and pulling her close to his chest, it wasn't long before her lips parted and she began shivering. Sighing, he stepped back and unbuttoned his shirt, draping it around her shoulders and pulling her back into the embrace. "But what about---"

He placed his fingers on her lips. "It's okay, I'm fine---"

A smothered gasp was all that was heard as she leaned forward, placing her lips on his fingers. Then she felt her tiny fingers anxiously pulling down his arm, and before he knew it, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss.

The honey of the first kiss, the magic of a kinetic storm engulfed them both. Tender and soft, a whisper of movement, a flutter of sensation shot through her as her belly erupted, tumbling over and over. The single brush of her lips against his set off a chain reaction absolute fire that culminated in a low moan as he dragged her closer, stifling her gasp as his tongue darted past her lips. Delightful sensation swirled around him, lost in the smell, the feel, the taste of her.

He pulled back, laying his head on her forehead with a soft smile toying on the corner of his lips. She sighed as she allowed her eyes to flutter close, willed her breathing to return to regular as he scent spiked out of control. Her knees buckled, and when he began nibbling on her bottom lip, she moaned, and then nearly screamed when the whole ground quaked. "What was that?" She whispered.

He grimaced and grabbed his chest. "Whatever it is, the jewel doesn't like it."

She grabbed his arm, and instructed him to duck behind the large vent. He was a little reluctantly, holding on to her arm for a moment longer. Grazing her lips over his, he let her go and did was he was told as she ran over and peered over the side. A rhino youkai, quite angry and insane, was ramming the school mercilessly. A large crack was already in the wall, and Taji had a feeling the old structure wouldn't hold up for long.

Looking over her shoulder, she dug into her bosom, pulling out her phone and dialing Nyoko. Nyoko answered the phone, sound a little shaken. "Houston, we have a problem. I need you to bring my weapons."

Nyoko refused. "No, just stay away from it until we get there."

"We don't have time! If he gets inside the building, that's it for the both of us. I have to take Sora back down, and I'll fight until he's somewhere safe. Alright? Just . . . just hurry." Hanging up before her cousin could argue, she looked over her shoulder and grabbed Sora's hand. "Youhave to make a run for it until they get here."

Sora looked a little nervous. "What about you?"

She grinned. "I'm a miko, remember? I don't have to have a weapon, whether I'm youkai or hanyou. Just follow me, and you'll be alright?"

Taji took his hand and led him down the stairs. As soon as she hit the dirt that was the school ground, the youkai halted his rampage and began walking to the direction they were. "You. . . . the Shikon No Tama . . . give it to me!"

Taji ran behind Sora and pushed him on his back, making him dive behind the dumpster next to them. Running out, she did a backhand flip, catching the youkai's attention and causing him to charge toward her. Springing off of the ground and into the air, she hopped onto the youkai's back and grabbed his horn. "Sora! Run for it!"

Sora, who was a little shaken by her act of bravery, began running towards the gate, when he heard her scream and saw her go flying through the air. Stopping, he began running towards her. "Taji!"

She stood up and held out her hand, but the youkai began charging towards him. Freezing in place he flinched when the rythymic stomping grew nearer and nearer, heard the youkai scream in agony and fly back. Taji, who stood there in an wide eyed wondered, staggered over to him, going through his barrier with ease. "Hey . . . it works."

He flinched and looked at his hands. "What just happened?"

She giggled. She was bleeding from her collar bone, and one of her eyes were closed. "You made a barrier."

He flinched as he reached for a strip of his shirt, trying with care to get the blood up. She winced and staggered forward, forcing him to catch her as the youkai, which had lost a large chunk of it's right shoulder, stood up, raging flashing in it's eyes. "I won't die . . . I will get the jewel."

Sora swallowed hard as it began charging again. Taji, who looked too weak to even talk now, flinched when it screamed in agony, and exploded into a cloud of dust. A little red orbs floated around again before being sucked by the jewel, which this time was now pulsing a bright red color. Nyoko went over to them, sniffing Taji's wound with concern before Nakabashi walked over and swept her up with ease. "Let's get her back to the shrine."

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8 _**

* * *

Sora paced around the room with worry as Nyoko walked out, wiping her hands on a clothe and wiping her forehead. "Her wound is pretty bad, and because she's a human, it won't heal until the day after tomorrow. Luckily, we're not going home until another week, so nobody will notice the change."

Sora sighed and hugged Nyoko, catching the inu-youkai off guard. "I'm sorry . . . I should have told her to stay home since tonight is . . . "

Nyoko waved off his spology. "It's alright. The fool was laughing about the whole thing while I cleaned her up. She's fine."

Sora thanked Nyoko once again before rushing upstairs. Nakabashi sighed and sprawled out on the couch. She smiled and sat next to him, braiding her hair as she hummed silently. He watched her with avid interest, a slight smile toying with his lips as she finished the surprisingly long, and seemingly agonizing task and threw it over her shoulder. Frowning, she reached over and began braiding his hair. "Oi!"

She giggled, but snatched her hands back quickly, folding them in her lap with innocence. "Sorry."

He grabbed his hair protectively. He sighed and placed it back in her hands. "Go ahead, it's been forever since anyone even looked at it anyway."

Nyoko smiled and ran her fingers throught he silky strands, massaging his scalp and causing him to erupt with a soft rumbling sound from deep in his chest. His scent, which was usually strong and daring, relaxed a little bit, calming her nerves from battle as he sighed and let his eyes drift close. "About what happened earlier . . . "

He shrugged offhandedly. "It's alright . . . I had no right saying something like that. You're a pup . .. you deserve a pup. I'm too old."

"You're barely older than I am," She remarked dryly. "But . . . that's not the point. Father had already decided he will arrange my marraige."

Nakabashi sat up sharply. "What?"

She looked at the floor. "On my 17th birthday, I am to be wed and mated. It's already been decided."

"But . . . you're brother . . . you're sister . . . "

"Are different from me. Very different."

Nakabashi sighed and threw his legs over the side, crossing them and leaning back casually. "Do you have any idea who this young man is?"

She winced and squeezed her eyes tight. "He's hardly young at all. More like Uncle Miroku's age. . . " She shook her head and stood up abruptly. "It's . . . it's nothing. Forget I said any of it."

He grabbed her wrist. "You have a free will. You can't let him do this, you can't!"

She shook her head. "Father is tai-youkai. No human or youkai would be foolish enough to challenge him . . . anyway, it doesn't matter. I wouldn't be able to find a mate on my own anyway." She smiled sadly. "I guess he's doing me a favor."

"That's not true,"He said, stepping closer to her. His scent spiked, took on an angry note, and she could hardly breath as her mind because hazy, her legs weak like jelly. "You could find a mate anytime you'd want," He trailed his claws up and down her arms. "Who'd treat you like the princess you are."

With a smothered gasp, she pulled away from him, nearly tripping on her own two feet, she nearly ran out of the room and down the hall. He heard the door slam behind her, and he sighed as he sat back on the couch with a thump.

Meanwhile, Sora planted a kiss on Taji's injured shoulder. She winced, but giggled as she toyed with his hair. "Were you crying Kitohoshi?"

He shrugged. "Almost."

She shook her head, jabbed him in the arm softly. Rolling her eyes, she sat up, winced again and grabbed her arm. He reached forward and she slapped his hand away. "I'm fine. First time I've ever took an injury like this, but I'm fine."

He looked like he wanted to force her to lay back down and go to sleep, but he gave a weak smile that tore at her heart. "Did you have fun?"

She smiled. "Yeah, I hitched a ride on a rhino. You should try that one day."

"I think I'll pass cowgirl." He chuckled, running his fingers through her hair. "You'll be like this until the morning."

She sighed. "Yea, unfortunantly."

He shrugged and kissed her softly. "I like you better with silver and gold anyway."

"Really? I was thinking about dying my hair red like Hanako."

Sora rolled his eyes and leaned forward, resting his head on her lap. She gasped, but using her uninjured arm, began toying with his hair again. Allowing the silence to fall over them , choke them, neither was desiring to say anything, fearing they would spoil the mood they had worked so hard for. Shuddering lightly as a could breeze sauntered through the room, Sora looked up at her and winked. "This dress looks horrible on me, doesn't it?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "That dress is totally you."

She looked at him, a sparkle of amusement in her eyes. "I think you'd like me in anything."

'Or nothing at all---' Sora blushed and plucked himself upside the head. She raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't comment. Instead, she laid back and closed her eyes, finally allowing fatigue to get the best of her.

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8 _**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Hey there! Yea, you! Enjoy! _

_Hehehehe . . . . For those of you who haven't bothered to check : _

_Check out my bio! Check out my web page! Join my yahoo group! Please? _


	16. News: Updates

**_News: Updates_**

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

****

* * *

_Okay, I am so sorry I have to say this, but I have plans for the next two weeks. _

_From tomorrow morning until Friday, I will be gone out of town, shopping because I have to go north of the Country for five days. I will not be able to post then, but I assure you I will have a notebook and will be jotting down my best ideas for the story, so don't worry; the chapters you will get after my 'vacation' shall be well worth the wait, I assure you. _

_In the meantime, I most likely will post early Sunday morning, and that will probably be short to last you the next five days I shall be in Maine. So when I return from there, you shall have a probability of about three chapters for each of my stories, except **Trails of the Heart and A True Friendship Withstands All.**_

****

_**For those of you that have been waiting, I will update on my original Fanfiction, Clarity as soon as possible. **I have been getting ready for this trip for the past month, ever since school started. I need it before I do anything drastic and end up in trouble. _

_As far as** Genuine Desires**; I have already explained to you I expect this to be my best story so far. That mean I won't be able to post it everyday like I try to do **Covetousness 2 : Discoveries** because I want it to be absolutely perfect. So, in warning, you may not get the update for this story until after a day or two that I return. _

_**Covetousness 2 :Discoveries** is also I story I want to be absolutely perfect, and I'm trying my best, but my main focus in Genuine Desires because I am still debating whether this story deserves a sequel or not. Also, I am proud to say I have two of three artists that are willing to do a couple of sketches for me, so you'll be able to visual what the characters look like. _

_So, that's basically the plan until the end of the month. Sorry for the inconvenience. For those of you who would like further information on the upcoming delay, I will be checking my email as much as possible, though for the 17th-22nd, I doubt I will be able to do so. _

_Here's a preview of the next chapter. _

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

Taji bit her lip as she stared at Sora. He gazed deep into her eyes, wondering just how in the world Kami could make a being like her. His stomach erupted in odd tremors, made him want to run away and hide from her piercing gaze. A smile tugged on the corner of her lips, and as she tugged at the hem of her skirt, trying to hide her legs from his view, he reached over and swatted her hands away, running his nails up and down her skin.

She gasped and twitched, trying to squirm away from his assault. Her mind hazy and clouded from logical reason, it was all she could do; but her lip and close her eyes. When she felt his soft fingers trying to feel every define of her face, she whimpered as his breathing turned ragged. "L-L-look at me---"

She whimpered again, tossing her head to the sky as her body gave off another eruption of violent trembling. He nearly groaned, bit his lip as his hand carefully rose higher and higher against the damned piece of clothe blocking his access. "Open your eyes." He growled.

She did, whimpering a bit as she bit her lip bloody. In a rush of movement, his lips crashed down on hers, goading her, exciting her, frightening her. Tugging at his shirt, yet trying to push him away at the same time, she complied with the shyness of a small shy, the strokes of her tongue against his slow and unsure. He groaned as he pressed her down with the weight of his body, the heat from her chest scorching his . . .

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

_Hehehehe . . . I'm so evil. _


	17. Home

**_Home_**

**_

* * *

_**

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

_Taji bit her lip as she stared at Sora. He gazed deep into her eyes, wondering just how in the world Kami could make a being like her. His stomach erupted in odd tremors, made him want to run away and hide from her piercing gaze. A smile tugged on the corner of her lips, and as she tugged at the hem of her skirt, trying to hide her legs from his view, he reached over and swatted her hands away, running his nails up and down her skin. _

_She gasped and twitched, trying to squirm away from his assault. Her mind hazy and clouded from logical reason, it was all she could do; but her lip and close her eyes. When she felt his soft fingers trying to feel every define of her face, she whimpered as his breathing turned ragged. "L-L-look at me---"_

_She whimpered again, tossing her head to the sky as her body gave off another eruption of violent trembling. He nearly groaned, bit his lip as his hand carefully rose higher and higher against the damned piece of clothe blocking his access. "Open your eyes." He growled._

_She did, whimpering a bit as she bit her lip bloody. In a rush of movement, his lips crashed down on hers, goading her, exciting her, frightening her. Tugging at his shirt, yet trying to push him away at the same time, she complied with the shyness of a small shy, the strokes of her tongue against his slow and unsure. He groaned as he pressed her down with the weight of his body, the heat from her chest scorching his . . . _

Sora awoke with a gasp and smothered groan as he looked around frantically. Scrambled across his chest was Taji, and she stirred lightly, smashing her ears against her head as she dug her claws into his shoulder, whimpering. Sora flinched and bit his lip to keep from calling out.

Her grip tightened for a moment, and he winced again, and she gave a puppy-like whine, and cuddled closer to him. He pulled the covers over her legs a little more, smiling when she sighed.

_'He doesn't care---' _

Sora blinked and looked around. A wash of worry flowed over him, drowning away his common sense as he possessively wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he strained to see over her shoulder.

A shadowy figure glowered at them both. It's red eyes seemed to narrow, stare straight through him---it's form drifting away only to be snatched back. Darkness indeed, and the jewel seemed to be reacting to it's presence. Taji whimpered again, this time digging her nails into his shoulder, this time not letting go. _"She's under my control now." _

Sora blinked. The voice was deep, scratchy---crazed. The being seemed everywhere at once, it's gaseous body seeming everywhere at once. Taji began coughing, her face growing pale as her body erupted in a dark purple light, her miko aura fighting with it. She opened her mouth and called out---opened her eyes and looked dead at him.

No more was the amber orbs that used to sparkle when she looked at him. No more was there the amber eyes that brightened when she smiled. No more was the orbs that he looked to for strength, the reminder of her supernatural beauty. Violet orbs looked at him . . . she looked pale, sick, and as the miasma began to receed from them, she still looked weak and terrible.

Bitter rage grew within Sora. The need to protect his family---his best, and only friend gave him the inspiration to bite back his fear. He reached around the floor, thanking Kami Taji wouldn't be anywhere without her weapons. "What did you do to her?"

The being laughed, seemed to mock him as his gaseous body fought to disappear from around him. It was trapped---imprisoned, and it's sadness caused the air in the room to be thick, heavy, disgusting; Sora hated the being standing at the foot of the bed with everything he had in him. Taking the weapon by it's handle, he held a firm grasp on it as his shoulders began to throb.

The being laughed as it approached him, stretching out a vile, evil hand. Reaching for Sora's chest, his hand went through Taji, and she cried out. Tears began to build around her eyes . . . words were lost as her grip loosened and she laid there, her body shivering and soft gasps of breath erupting from her. "I'm only completing something her mother started a long time ago."

"Her mother---Ms.Kagome?"

The jewel began pulsing, this time stronger than before. Something inside him jumped alive . . . blood began running through his veins with an agonizing speed, leaving his arms, legs and chest feeling as if he just fell into a volcano. He could feel his hair raising off of his head, could see the covers blow away from him as Taji rolled off of him onto her back next to him.

With a sharp grunt, and with a hiss of pain at the same time, Sora sliced at the being. It screamed. An agonizing scream that made him blood thirst for more. He watched as it began to turn into dust . . .first it's arms . . . then it's legs, to it's chest until it finally disappeared. Sunlight broke through the hazy fog that intruded the room, and Taji jump started with a huge gasp of breath.

Taji gasped and reached to touch him, suddenly jerking her hand to her face with a broken sob. Sniffing her hands . . . she gasped and held them out to him. "Did I . . . tell me I didn't---this isn't your blood, right?"

Sora began to feel weak, dizzy as everything grew fuzzy. He tried his best to stay away. "This is just an illusion---right? Tell me I didn't . . . I wouldn't . . . I _couldn't_ . . ."

Sora reached to take her hands and move them, but he flinched and quickly brought his arm back. His blood still felt as if it was on fire . . . he thought for a split second his skin might melt away . . . everything was painful, and just before he passed out, he saw Taji hovering over his chest, her fingers making a weird arrangement as she chanted something. A bright light blinded him for a moment . . . but not before the darkness did.

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

The sky was streaked with orange; the bird soared high above. The gentle strokes of the grass awoke him, and he sneezed as he sat up. Looking around, he didn't recognize where he was. Nothing was familiar. He couldn't sense Taji's reassuring youki, couldn't sense Nyoko's, Nakabashi's, not even the family of the three. He began to panic as he felt on his chest. 

_'G-Gone? Where am I? Who . . . am I?' _

He began to feel around, when he touched something soft. A soft giggle, the gentle brush of fur against his hand caused him to draw back, and as he stumbled back, a cute little bunny rabbit landed on his chest. _'So? You're the protector. Odd . . . I thought it was going to be her daughter.' _

Sora looked around. _'Where's that voice coming from?'_

The rabbit hopped on his chest once, making him grunt as he sat up. The rabbit simply hopped on his head. _'Right here, baka! Where did you think it was coming from?' _

Sora screamed when he tried to stand up, and fell; causing them both to go toppling over. Shaking his head as he picked up the rabbit by her stomach, he held it close to his face, memorizing the peaceful youki that she offered out to him.

She was a weird looking rabbit. . . her ears entirely too long . . .and she was larger than any normal rat he'd ever seen. Her red eyes looked happy, playful, and she seemed to smile at him as she twitched her whiskers. _'So? You can . . . talk?' _

_'Pretty much. I would transform, but I wouldn't have any clothes . . . so--' _

_'I . . . I havea girlfriend . . . alright?' _

The rabbit laughed. Now, this wasn't squeaky, or twittering or a paranoid laugh like he expected. It was soft, gentle, strong and her voice carried out the soft scent of wildflowers. Sora was completely perplexed by this. Setting the rabbit down in front of him, he crossed his legs and leaned forward. _'So---I thought I smelled her on you. You've been in contact with her lately, haven't you? It's been so long.' _

_'Who? I don't know what you are talking about.' _

The rabbit hopped up and sniffed him. Wrinkling it's nose, it hopped back and did a flip in the air, making Sora laugh and smile. _'Before we get to anything, we should get you something to eat and a nice bath, okay? You look exhausted.' _

_'The jewel! Where's the jewel!'_

The rabbit started to run off, but it turned and looked back at him. It seemed to wink, before it began hopping away. Sora called after it, and with a sigh ran after it. _'Hey!' _

_'Don't worry, kid! The jewel is perfectly safe.' _

_'Safe . . . how?' _

_'It's safe . . . inside of you.' _

_'Where am I?' _

The rabbit stopped hopping and looked at him. _'Home.'_

* * *

_An hour later . . ._

* * *

Sora sighed as he rubbed his finger along the throbbing symbal in the middle of his chest. Wincing as he pressed a little bit harder, the symbal seemed familiar . .. seemed to make his heart lurch when he looked at it. 

_The fire crackled ashe took off his shirt so that the little girl he had met back at the hut could inspect his wound. She gasped and looked at his chest. "Oh, dear . . ." _

_The boy,however wasn't so calm. His eyes began darting around as his eyes repeatedly fell to the weird markings on his chest. "What the hell is that?" _

_The rabbit, hopped over and sniffed. "'Gome didn't do it . . . but it was her . . .daughter?" _

_The little girl looked worried. "She did this . . . on her own? This may be worse than we anticipated, little one." _

Afterhe had asked them what they were talking about, they stuffed him with food and sent him to take a bath out back in the hot spring. The markings didn't hurt as much as it did when the girl had first touched it. That was something he found odd, too. It didn't hurt . . . he didn't even know it was there until she touched him.

Buthe didn't feel anything evil about this girl. Kagome had told him that one of his natural powers, was something called 'sight.' She explained to him that his was different somehow. His power didn't have an on or off switch. It was as natural as normal sight with him. She also explained it the person hada concealment that kept their youki from being seen,he could feel it anyhow.

Sure,he didn't understand it, but after looking at these two, he began to understand it. He remembered a couple of things Kagome had told him if he ever was alone. _"Remember : When someone has stronger spiritual powers; there heart has to be pure. Or it was at one point in time. Tell me, do you remember how you felt when your father entered the house, or when he came to do . . . something bad to you?"_

_Sora was extremely uncomfortable, but now that he thought about it, her logic began to make sense. "I always felt . . . a dark feeling. A heavy weight on my chest . . . and in my head I just knew it. Sometimes he didn't look the same . . . sometimes I saw like a . . . a dark shadow around him."_

_Kagome nodded and leaned forward, hugging him. "Now, when you saw the dark shadow . . . that's unpure youki, or an aura."_

_Sora looked baffled. "What's the difference?"_

_Kagome had smiled and put her hair up in a messy ponytail. Then she scooted behind him, and began playing in his hair. "A human has an aura. Though we are humans, we do not have the power to control our aura. Which means that when you look at a person, you can tell what their aura is going to show you. For instance . . .Sango. When you first looked at her, I'm sure you saw a strong, happy woman."_

_Sora smiled and nodded. "Just like Taura."_

_Kagome nodded and began brushing his hair. Sora had never remembered anyone being so tender towards him. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Right. Now, when you look at . . . Aka for example . . . can you tell the difference?"_

_Sora nearly laughed. "When I first saw him, he was deliberately taunting me . . . I just didn't realize it then. But now, his youki welcomes me."_

_Kagome giggled and continued brushing his hair. "Right, now do you understand? An aura . . . or a youki is simply a physical form of emotions. When InuYasha uses the wind scar---which can only be used when two youki connect---both him and the person he's fighting has to have a strong will in order to make their youki visible to those who don't have the power to see it. To people like us . . . it comes normal."_

_"So . . . how do I use this in battle?"_

_Kagome giggled and kissed the top of his head. "Sometimes . . . if you can read a person's youki and try to talk to them, help them through their situation or bitter rage---a physical fight can be avoided."_

_"So . . . it's a defense mechanism?"_

_"You . . . can say that. It's a peacemaker's first option---let's put it like that. Another way it can be used . . . is that you can tell when it's time to stop fighting, or whether you should fight at all."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes. If a person is blinded by rage, but their youki seems sad . . . it clings to yours and won't let it go . . . something is forcing that person to fight you. Now, you talk about it."_

_"So . . . I can read other people's feelings?"_

_"And you can tell if strangers are there to hurt you, or if they are there to help you." _

Sora fingered the weird markings on his chest._ 'Who are these people? Where am I?'_

_'Like she said---home.' _

* * *

_**8:88:888:88:8**_

* * *

Sora walked into the small hut with his bloody clothes over his shoulder. The young girl took them off of his shoulder, placing them in a large basin of water before leading him over to the fire. "So . . . are you the only one this time?"

Sora turned to his right and looked at her as the rabbit slept soundly at his feet. "What do you mean? Where am I?"

The young girl looked a little relieved. She had extremely long hair with big brown eyes. She looked exactly like someone he knew very well . . . for some reason he couldn't remember her name. Why couldn't he remember nothing but her face . . . and Kagome?

"So . . . you weren't told when the jewel disappeared?"

_The being laughed as it approached him, stretching out a vile, evil hand. Reaching for Sora's chest, his hand went through Taji, and she cried out. Tears began to build around her eyes . . . words were lost as her grip loosened and she laid there, her body shivering and soft gasps of breath erupting from her. "I'm only completing something her mother started a long time ago."_

"The jewel!The last time I saw the jewel is when it reacted to that thing in our room."

The girl looked like Sora just slapped her. ";Our'? What do you mean . . . 'our'?"

"Me and . . . and . . . "

Sora held his head as it began throbbing. Why couldn't he remember her name?Why didn't heknow who he himself was?He remembered everything . . . except the memories with her. Who was she? He could only remember things with the woman named Kagome---and something told him that

The girl smiled and held out her hand to him. "Don't worry. You'll remember . . ."

Shaking his head, Sora regarded the young girl for a minute. Her long hair tossed into a light braid hanging over her shoulder . . . her bright brown eyes looking to him for something . . . expecting something . . . she looked away quickly as he rubbed the rabbit with his knuckle. It stirred and nudged toward him.

A woman walked into the hut . . . holding a basket of food and stopped when she saw him. Her eyes widened, then filled with tears as Sora stood. He may not remember who he was, or where he was . . . but he felt a sense of happiness seeing this strange woman. She was dressed in modern clothes . . . but the other girl . . . a kimono?

"S-S-Sora?"

Sora blinked. Was that his name? "Who is . . . Sora?"

She gave a broken cry and ran to him. Cradling his head between her breasts, she cried for minutes on end, swaying him back and forth. She was a fairly short woman . . . beautiful more than he ever imagined . . . yet he felt a sense of happiness to this woman. "Who . . . are you?"

The woman pulled back and looked at him with a longing expression. The girl cleared her throat, and the woman put on a tight, sad smile for him. Kissing his forehead, she whispered two words for him. "Welcome home."

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

_**A/N**_

_Sorry for the short update, and I'm so sorry that it took so long. Please review! _


	18. Anda and Kiyoshi

**_Kiyoshi and Anda_**

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

"_Youkai_?" 

Kagome flinched as Taji's screech echoed throughout the room. Her ears flattened, her tail hid between her legs as she whimpered. Kagome tried not to tell her daughter that her eyes were flashing . . . that she looked just like . . . just like an youkai version of . . .

"Mama? What's wrong?"

Kagome snapped her head up. Wincing as she looked at Sora's form again, the jewel, which brightened with each and every beat of his heart, dangled in Kagome's fingers. "I'm going to have to protect the jewel once again." Kagome stated, thinking against giving it to Taji.

Taji pouted. Her long bushy tail lashed behind her. "Why can't I do it? I mean . . . I know how to use my powers!"

Kagome flinched again and scratched her hair. _'She's going to . . . she's going to flip.'_

Kagome bit her lip as she looked at her daughter. Dressed in a belly shirt, the crests that covered her belly and her face were completely adorable, even if she was a teenager. Kagome would never get used to not commenting on her crests. "About that . . ."

Taji cringed and sat down next to the bed. Sora . . . whose shirt had discentagrated by the time she had come to, laid on the bed in what seemed like a coma. His hair, which had finally fallen over his face in a sweaty mess beckoned to her. . . begged her to run her fingers t hrough the soft strands. She refrained when her eyes instinctively pulled to the wounds on his shoulders.

She licked her lips. _'Blood . . . smell . . . nice . . . '_

Leaning forward, she sniffed his frail, pale body and cringed when her blood began rushing throughout her body . . . a painful burn that made her groan. Kagome . . . with a wince . . . placed her hand on her shoulder, burning her and making her recoil.

Kagome reached over and lifted Taji's necklace up over her head. Wincing when Taji tried to take it back . . . only to be burned again, Kagome held the fang in the palm of her hand. Closing her eyes, she mumbled a prayeer, and then, she sunk her fangs into her wrist.

Now, Taji had never seen anything like this before. The smell of her mother's blood made her cringe inwardly, made her whine and flatten her ears when she went to lick the blood. Kagome mainly uttered a soft growl, and tilted her arm so that the blood flowed and covered the fang. The fang glowed with a mysterious light . . . and turned crimson. "What's that?"

Kagome sighed and put it back over Taji's head. "It's . . . a condemning spell. Whenever your in danger of losing control---it'll burn until you calm down."

Taji looked confused---and hurt. "But . . . there's nothing wrong with me! I can just simply break the spell if I need to, right?"

Kagome wrung her hands in her skirt and refused to look at her daughter. "Taji . . . your humanity . . . is gone."

"My . . . _what_!"

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

_Awakening with a groan, her brown hair fell over her face in exotic waves as she sat up and looked around. Groaning as her gaze fell on the waterfall, she sighed and tried to remember what happened before she passed out---which only gave her the strongest headache of her life. _

_She remembered nothing but a jewel. She didn't remember the name of it, all she remembered was a jewel. It made her frustrated, but something told her this was all she needed. She felt nervous, queasy, and she groaned again when she tried to stand. "Maybe I should . . . make me something to eat," She said, eyes landing on a orange tree not far from her." _

_She soon realized she remembered how to hunt, and how to start a fire. But it was impossible for her to remember who taught her thses things, or her name, or where she had come from. But---for three days she settled in a cave not far from the waterfall, and for three days she made a living in this weird place, deciding on the name Anda until she could remember her birth name. _

Awakening at the crack of dawn was something she had grown accustomed to. After taking a nap from hunting and making lunch and dinner for later, she sat up and fixed her clothing. She had nothing else to wear, and certainly there had to be another life form around, on the count of she remembered waking up with a bucket by the pond at dawn, but by the end of the day it was gone.

Standing up to go and wash up, she tied her hair into a braid and tossed it over her shoulder as she walked. Though she had never strayed far from the area, she had memorized it very well---which surprised her greatly. She came to the conclusion she was taught survival skills when she was young---some very strange survival skills as well.

Remembering something further than that always led to a headache, so she left it alone. But instead of finding animals as the foot of the pond of this beautiful morning, she felt the presence of something. _'How did I---'_

Her breath caught in her throat. A young boy, who looked about no more than 15 kneeled, washing his face and humming to himself silently. He had no idea she was around, and he picked up his shirt and wiped his face before repeating the action before looking around. Then he resumed his task._ 'Why does he look familiar? My heart---leaps for joy. But---why?'_

She then noticed his whole form was wet, which meant he must have went swimming. His fairly long blonde hair clung to the defines of his face---his sapphire eyes darkening when he looked around again. He stood up and began walking over to where she was standing. She nearly screamed but thought against it, turning and fleeing back to the cave.

_'That boy . . .'_ She mused as she controled her breathing after a couple of minutes. Looking at her hands, she tried to remember. She wanted to remember her name, her family, where she had come from.

Cringing when the headache began to chastise her, she stood up and walked to the far end of the cave. About a hour later, she went back to the pond, intending on getting her morning swim. Though she had no soap, she could at least take a dip, right?

Stripping off her undergarments, but leaving on the oversized shirt she was wearing, she plunged into the water, her hair coming loose from the braid she had put it in and flowing out behind her. Resurfacing, she began swimming back to the floor, playing with the fish and small animals until she felt as if her lungs had enough.

Coming back to the shore, she leaned forward and drank some of the water. Sighing when her throat felt better, she gathered her clothes, wrung her hair out, and walked away.

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

Sora watched as she plunged into the water. The secret of something wholly beautiful, the whispers of the unknown---her presence wrapped around him like a heated blanket, comforting him and playing with his senses at the same time. He thought he caught a glimpse of her watching him earlier, but she fled before he could say something to her. 

Fear gripped around his throat when he told himself to say something to her. She looked lost, lonely, and he had a feeling he knew why, too. _'She'd just run away.'_

So, he watched in silent fascination as the beauty relieved herself from the heat over and over again, her hair clinging to her face and form like a second skin. Dressed in nothing but a t-shirt that made him cringe, she was utterly mysterious . . . yet he felt as if her knew her at the same time.

What was it about this girl that made his heart leap for joy? When he saw her he instantly wanted to run to her. But he didn't know what his name was. When he asked Yuki about what she had called him earlier, she had explained she thought he was her son. She said she didn't know his name either. 'So make one up.' She had told him.

Well, in the first place, if he went to talk to her and she asked him his name what would he say? Coming off I don't know was sure to get him kicked in the groin. She looked pretty strong despite her little form. She was daring anything and everything to catch her off guard, silently threatening the one being who wished to do her harm. But her aura---it held a sad, confused nature about it. Also---it seemed to be missing something.

He watched as she leaned forward, and clumsily took a drink of the spring water. Her lips looked so soft---so enchanting. He had to know her name . .. he just had to learn this woman's name. He gathered up his courage, until she began to walk away.

Her brown hair shone in the light far after she left, her raven eyes piercing through his for a split second. Her presence made the trees sing, the grass dance and the bird gossip long after her form disappeared.

This went on for the next week. Everyday he went to the pond and watched her as she went for a morning swim, and she took a swim, he learned, after dinner. Now the time she made dinner varied. He learned she liked to play with the animals, and made friends with the animals of the forest. He heard her laugh once as the squrriuls played around her feet. It was soft, gentle, and made him shudder.

She seemed like an angel---something much to perfect to be in a place like this. And every other day, she went too the mountain and sat down, watching the stars for what seemed like eternity before she mumbled something, like a prayer and went home with tears coming down her face.

He just knew---knew in his heart that he had to get to know this awesome woman. So, he went back to the hut and began to scheme.

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

Shaking her head as dread began to overcome her whole form, she stumbled back a little, dropping to her knees and digging her face in her hands. Tears of hurt and unbelieve began overflowing, falling into her hands and then onto the hard floor. Kagome didn't need to say anything else. She nearly just reassured her daughter by dropping to her and whispering comforting words. "How did this happen?" 

Kagome shook her head. Should she tell her? What would happen if Taji found out?"Not right now," She decided. "I'll explain everything when your brother's come home from work. Your dad is at Sesshomaru's right now, okay honey. Would you like to talk to him?"

Taji shook her head, cringing when her mother kissed her forehead and walked out of the room. As soon as she shut the door, Taji crawled over to the and kissed Sora, who seemed to be in a coma, on the cheek. "I'm so sorry . . . it's all my fault!" She whispered.

Her long bushy tail lashed about furiously, and her crests turned even bolder. Her fangs which had grown, as well as her claws dug into the mattress. With a crest on each cheek, as well as a triangle inside a circle was cround her belly button.

_He shrugged as he scooted closer, allowed her to feed him a spoonful of her ice cream. "I don't know, how about a movie?"_

_Taji flushed and giggled as he kissed her cheek and ignored the stares that were coming from all around them. She was completely happy with being with him, no one there to disturb them, no one there to do anything to ruin the moment.Sora whimpered playfully and sighed when she gave him another taste of her ice cream. "Yours is right there," She commented dryly._

_He chuckled. "Yours tastes better." He countered with a shrug. Rolling her eyes, she allowed him to hungrily devour the rest of her ice cream without complaining, watching in absolute amazement when his eyes glowed, causing the booth around them to have a holy shine as she became lost in the depths of his gaze. "Sora," She whispered, her voice so soft it startled him._

_He sighed happily, licked his lips. "Hmmm?"_

_"I . . . I think I want to kiss you . . . "_

_"What's stopping you?" He murmured back._

Choking back a sob, Taji looked at her blood covered fingers._ 'Blood . . . smell . . . nice.'_

She licked her lips . . . control slipping as he skin beckoned to her. Her thirst for his blood had to be satisfied immediately. The desire began painful . . .an agonizing throbbing in her veins followed by a flash of a white-hot burn that covered her whole body. She whimpered and bared her fangs, running her tongue over them.

_Sora smiled and wiped her cheeks with the pad of his thumb. Then he pushed her bangs out of her eyes, staring down at her, his sapphire eyes shining like a diamond._

_The moonlight made her eyes seem an almost unnatural color, gave her soft, creamy skin a blue look. Her long eyelashes tickled her cheeks, her slightly red cheeks giving her the look of an innocent child. She was too beautiful to be human, yet too human to be hanyou. Staring down at her, wrapping one of his arms around her waist and pulling her close to his chest, it wasn't long before her lips parted and she began shivering. Sighing, he stepped back and unbuttoned his shirt, draping it around her shoulders and pulling her back into the embrace. "But what about---"_

_He placed his fingers on her lips. "It's okay, I'm fine---"_

_A smothered gasp was all that was heard as she leaned forward, placing her lips on his fingers. Then she felt her tiny fingers anxiously pulling down his arm, and before he knew it, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a deep kiss._

_The honey of the first kiss, the magic of a kinetic storm engulfed them both. Tender and soft, a whisper of movement, a flutter of sensation shot through her as her belly erupted, tumbling over and over. The single brush of her lips against his set off a chain reaction absolute fire that culminated in a low moan as he dragged her closer, stifling her gasp as his tongue darted past her lips. Delightful sensation swirled around him, lost in the smell, the feel, the taste of her._

_He pulled back, laying his head on her forehead with a soft smile toying on the corner of his lips. She sighed as she allowed her eyes to flutter close, willed her breathing to return to regular as he scent spiked out of control. Her knees buckled, and when he began nibbling on her bottom lip, she moaned. _

_'Mate . . . smell . . . nice . . . blood . . .hurts.' _

Taji growled as she ran her claws over his pale skin. Licking her lips again, a fire ignited deep within her. She grazed her fangs over his arm, feeling the blood begin to rush. His slow heart beat slowed even more, and Taji balanced the tip of her fang on his creamy skin---when something other than the burn of her hunger made her cry out.

His chest began glowing, and a whole burned into his shirt as blood poured down his chest. Appearing on his chest was the same crest she held, and she watched as the Shikon No Tama drifted into the room, followed by Kagome. The Shikon No Tama hovered above his chest, and before she could comment, plunged into his chest, causing his body to hover over the bed again. Next thing Taji knew---she was struck by a bolt of energy and sent flying into the opposite wall before a barrier covered his whole body---plus the bed. "Oh, boy," Kagome muttered as she helped Taji to her feet.

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

Anda smiled as she sat on the hill overlooking the large clearing. The cool night air was crisp---clean. It wasn't something she was introduced to often, and she had a good feeling she was going to be here for a long time. She had already been herefor a week, and she was enjoying every minute of it. It seems other people lived her, because every morning when she went to swim at the pond, there was a basket with a new gift in it. Odd, really how beautiful the fact that there was somebody who cared. 

The first day . . . it was at least a month worth of food; fruit, meat and vegetables. The next day, it was a beautiful sheet, and also a blanket made of bear skin that kept her snug when she was cold, as well as a pillow filled with feathers. The next day, it was simply a pot, but she took whatever she could get. Now the next day, and the day after that, she didn't recieve a gift. But then, on the next day after that, she was bombarded with beautiful kimonos---which she was thankful for.

Now, wearing a peach colored kimono that just reached her mid-thigh, she sighed and pulled her knees to her chest, laying her chin on her elbow as her hair flew out behind her. Her eyes flashed for a moment, darkened before she sighed and tightened her arms around her legs. "I bet you miss home, huh?"

She gasped and whirled around, surprise evident on her features as the mysterious figure stood behind her. Hands jammed in his pockets, he looked nervous---anxious as his eyes raised to meet hers only to skitter away. She smiled when he hunkered down next to her. "You have no idea where you are, either."

He looked at her with surprise, only to smile. The soft smile played havoc on her senses, and before she did something stupid like reach out and touch him, she looked away quickly, a blush stinging the defines of her face.

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. Looking off into the distance, he laid back and folded his arms behind his head. "I woke here not long ago. And I've been trying to live a normal life ever since. But it seems we're the only ones in a thirty mile radius."

She looked a little pale. She shivered, stiffening when soft fabric fell over her shoulders. She heard him lay back on the grass, and pulled his shirt closed over her. "What about you?"

He shrugged, opened his eyes to look at her. "I'll be fine." He grumbled, blushing furiously.

She giggled and stretched her legs out, wiggling her toes as the wind continued to nip at the bare skin. That sat in silence for a while. It was amazing just how being in each other's presence was simply enough for the both of them. The moon hung high above, seemed to be smiling down at them as her skin turned a mysterious blue color, giving her a beautiful glow like the secrets of the forest. His breath caught in his throat---his heart freezing in his chest for a split instant when she offered him a shy smile when she began to stand up. "Where are you going?"

She looked over her shoulder, pulled the shirt tighter and frowned. "I think I'll head back to the cave now. I just . . . I get really nervous at night."

He frowned. "You live---all alone?"

She nodded her head once, and after giving him a long look, she turned and began to walk away. He reached forward and grabbed her wrist. "I may not know you at this moment---but I have a feeling that we . . .we know each other some how."

She gasped and pulled her wrist back, shooting him a frantic look when her heart lurched painfully. Her stomach felt as if it was on fire. "I . . . but I don't even know who you are."

He shrugged and sat back down. "To tell the truth," He looked sad, lonely sitting there, the moonlight toying with his features, and her sanity. He looked like he had seen more than the average person, been through more things that she could have imagined. _'Is it better that he doesn't remember?'_"I don't even know myself. And I have a feeling---I think I never have."

She sat back down next to him, a little closer this time as her heart went out to the boy. She tightened her hold on his shirt, staring into his face the whole time. "I--I feel as if I haven't either."

He smiled to himself, shrugged offhandedly as he laid back and folded his hands behind his head. No matter how much he tried to act it, she instantly knew he was worried---and deeply troubled. What possessed him to tell her? Why was he so open and honest and he didn't even know her name? Why was it driving her crazy that he seemed a big part to the life she couldn't remember? "I don't know if I'm right---but I think we were sent here for a reason. Just the two of us."

She sighed and laid back with him, entwining her hand with his and bringing it to her face. Her heart wanted to be with this boy---and as long as she was happy, she could deal with it. "Why don't we find out---together?"

He smiled and looked at her, his eyes darkening as he blinked furiously. _'He's going to cry?'_ "I think . . . I think I'd like that."

"My name is . . . Anda."

He looked confused. "Is that all you can remember?"

She shrugged. "I didn't even remember that. I just thought I should give myself a name until I do."

He smiled at her;squeezed her hand gently. "Well, until I remember myself, my name is . . ."

She giggled. "How about . . .Kiyoshi?"

"Kiyoshi? Doesn't that mean . . .Purity?"

Anda nodded her head once in agreement. He looked confused. "I thought it would be perfect, considering that fact that you have the purity symbal on your chest."

He looked dumbfounded. "How did you know?"

She shrugged. "Certain things happen, and then I'll remember, like survival skills, or when to know something's wrong. But I can't remember my family or where I'm from."

Kiyoshi leaned forward, his blonde hair falling over his face as he looked down at her. The bitter wind nipped at his face, and he sighed and helped her up. "Let's get you home."

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

**_A/N_**

_Well, well well! I think this might be interesting! Enjoy!_

_**Anda** : Meet at the Field_

_**Kiyoshi** : Purity_


	19. Destiny

**_Destiny_**

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

Kiyoshiwhined as he lifted the heavy buckets of water and brought them into the hut. Yuki smiled and helped him quickly. Kiyoshi sighed and leaned over, rubbing his hips and taking a small sip as Yuki began buzzing around the hut. "Are there any . . . any other villages here?" 

Yuki stopped suddenly, dropping the spoon she just picked up on the floor with a clatter. "Have you . . . have you met anyone?"

Kiyoshi blushed and scratched his head. "Not exactly, I was just wondering where I was and were we the only ones in this strange place."

Yuki's form was still stiff when he turned and poured a little bit of water on his head. His hair had grown a little longer---and his body a lot tougher and a little stronger. He wondered if they were using him to do chores or training him. When he first got him it took him half the day to walk to the pond, get the water, and stumble all the way back with less than half the water. Now he can run to the pond, get the water, and walk back without spilling a drop. He was proud of himself. It had been at least three days since he talked to Anda under the stars. He wondered if she went off into town, if there was one . . ."

"There is a town. But if you find it . . . if you talk to the priest there . . ."

Yuki shook her head and a little sob escaped her lips. She dashed a hand across her eyes and whipped around, forcing a small smile for Kiyoshi and giving him a small kiss on the cheek. "So . . . how far is it?"

She shrugged and poured water into the pot in the middle of thehut as he lit the fire. She giggled and dumped in potatoes that she already chopped up. "It would take a week to get there . . . that's if you survive. There's scarce animals if you go through the plain, and it's suicidal to travel through the forest. Too many dangers lurk there. I've never been there myself though."

Kiyoshi frowned and rubbed the perspiration off of his forehead. She was hiding something, wasn't she? "Why are you so frightened to head to the town? I mean . . . if I go to town I'll be bound tomeet someone who knows me, and I can find my way back home. If I had one . . . "

Yuki raised her eyes to meet Kiyoshi. "Kiyoshi, dear . . . this is your home. You have come to your true home, not the one on that dreadful planet."

Kiyoshi raised his eyebrows as she forced another sad smile and began to chop tomatoes. "Yuki? Ms.Yuki . . . what's going on? What aren't you telling me?"

She shook her head and continued chopping tomatoes. She dumped a load into the pot and placed another one on the cutting board."So . . . she has arrived here as well. Impossible . . ."

He reached for her . . . but she cut her finger and drew back with a hiss. Sucking on her finger, he gasped as he took it into his grasp and wrapped a piece of clothe on it. Giving it a soft kiss, he watched as her eyes filled with tears. "You wish to travel to town . . ."

He shrugged and leaned back a little, bracing himself on his elbows. "I mean . . . I just want to know if I have a family. It's not like I'm leaving here forever. I just want to know what's out there, you know? I think . . . staying in a place like this is denying me my chance to live. If it's my destiny not to know who I originally was . . . I have to seek out who I am going to be. What I'm trying to say is . . . don't let the fact that there's something you don't understand stop you from learning something."

She smiled and took his hand. "When you travel to town . . . you won't be able to return. When you get there . . . there will be little people. There aren't many who were blessed to find this place. Eat and drink whenever you can . . . and never rest in the open deeply. You have proven to me that this is not your destiny. Go . . . go and lay your father's soul to rest."

"My father? You knew my father?"

Yuki smiled and pulled Kiyoshi into a deep hug. "I . . . I know you too. I know you more than you'll ever know, okay? Never forget this day . . . never forget me . . . please?"

Kiyoshi pulled back and allowed her to smooth back his hair. He sighed. "I . .. I promise."

Without another word . . . painful goodbyes still swirling within their hearts, he stood up and walked out of the hut, waving over his shoulder briefly and heading towards the pond. She wiped her face . . . though that didn't help much. _'I . . . I was wrong. He truly is the light . . . he will save her . . . and he will make me proud. My . . . my son.' _

He walked along the road, humming to himself as the feeling that he was doing the right thing made him feel as if he could cry. Walking to the familiar hut, he knocked on the wall and called out to her, wincing when his voice echoed into the forest. She appeared---half dressed and apparently still half sleep as she wiped her eyes and yawned. "Hey---I haven't seen you in a while . . . " He said nervously.

She blinked and smiled. "I know. I haven't left the cave in a couple of days. Sorry if I worried you, Kiyoshi."

Kiyoshi blushed and ran his fingers through his hair, toying with the dirt under his feet as her chuckled nervously. She raised her eyebrows at him and placed her hand on her hips. "I was wondering---"

"What are you up to?" She asked, leaning her weight to one side and pushing her hip to the other while she leaned forward, giving him a suspicious look. "You look mighty nervous."

Kiyoshi waved his hands in a defensive manner as his temperature increased rapidly and he felt extremely uncomfortable. Face burning in a embarrassed manner, his blush darkened and he stepped back respectfully. "Nothing! Really . . . I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to travel to town with me. It'll take at least a week or a week and a half to get there."

Anda's face exploded in a blush and she stepped back, grasping her chest when something began to constrict painfully. With each beat of her heart, the grip on it grew tighter, more painful . . . seemed to be laughing at her. She masked her discomfort quickly enough and smiled."Sure, I wouldn't mind. What do you plan to get?"

He frowned and sat down against the mouth of the cave. "Ms.Yuki said once we go to the town . . . we won't be able to return. I was thinking about traveling the open hills---but she said that's just as bad as traveling through the Forbidden Forest. It's going to take a lot to get there."

She frowned. "Why do you want to go then? If you can't come back---why leave the only place we know as home?"

He shrugged and sighed. "I don't know . . . it's just like a burning desire in me. Just because we've lost our memories doesn't mean we have to settle at wherever we turn it. I just know my destiny is awaiting me at the town---and maybe I'll get my memory restored!"

She smiled sadly. The excitement on his face . . . the burning desire in his eyes. He was truly something special. Weird, goofy, clumsy yet extremely wise all packed in a handsome package and delivered right to her heart. She felt her blush deepen when he looked at her and his eyes darkened. They sparkled under his blonde hair and her breath caught in her throat when she sun rested on his creamy skin. 'He's . . . he's an angel . . .'

For a minute she thought she could see wings. For a minute she thought she saw what he truly was . . . and gift to her from a god up above. He smiled at her and grasped her hand. "Please . . . I'm sure we'll find out who we really are---together. Will you . . . will you come with me?"

She looked a little worried. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. She smiled. "Fine, Kiyoshi. I'll go. Tell me, what do we have to do?"

He shrugged." She said to leave immediately. She said we can't get lost---just walk straight for approxiamately seven days and we'll get there. But she said . . . she said we'll never return."

Taking Kiyoshi's hand and placing it on her face, she brought him up off of the ground and smiled. "Does it matter? We'll be finding peace---right? We'll be together, so it doesn't matter."

He stared down at her. 'This woman . . . has my heart. Yet I know not who she is."

"You," He whispered into her ear. "and I share a destiny."

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

Taura rolled her eyes as Taji grunted and a light erupted from behind her. Tugging at the same bracelet that prevented her blood from coming under control despite her bleeding fingers, she growled when Taura hit her on the head with her boomerang. Taji growled and gave her friend a dark look. 

"Calm down. I know you want to help him---but your mother thought it best to send you over my house. Don't worry---you'll be fine."

Taji flattened her ears and lashed her tail about. "I belong at his side! I belong there with him---"Gasping when a painful constricting erupted in her chest, she doubled over as Taura gasped and cradled her head in her lap. Once the pain stop, Taji remained still, her eyes closed as a purple sphere hovered above her chest. A gust of air knocked Taura back.

Taji was lowered to the ground---the orb hovering above her limp form asan odd presence began to slip into the quiet house. Reaching for the orb---it seemed to laugh . . .seemed to be proud of itself as it took hold of the orb and reached for Taji. Taura threw the boomerang and beheaded the beast onto to watch as the skin of it's gaseous body form a new head. "Foolish girl . . . she must become what she is . . . it is her destiny . . . give me the jewel. Give it to me . . . "

Taura flipped out of the way as the beast picked up objects of her home and began throwing them at her. Stopping a stray table from hitting Taji's form, she tried to kick the beast---it didn't work. It only laughed and touched Taji's chest, making her rise off of the floor and to whimper, biting her lip as her body pulsed.

When a light formed around the being and it screamed, Taura should have run. Kagome stood there, hands poised in front of her as the beast slipped away and the sphere fell to the floor. The larger part of it faded away---and out of it came a Shikon No Tama. It rolled over to Taji and hovered over her chest. "Please . . . not my baby," Kagome cried.

Taura watched in disbelief as the darkness of the Shikon No Tama began to envelope Taji. The necklace Kagome had made broke off and spilled over the floor, and one last time her body pulsed before her eyes snapped open. Her violet eyes laid on Taura---seemed to flicker with emotion for a minute before they returned to blank.

With a viscious growl she flipped into a crouched position behind her mother, ears flattened as the power of the Shikon No Tama began to control her mind. Kagome cried out to her---and she turned her head to the side and brought her lips back into a snarl. Taura slammed down her boomerang and called out to her. Without a word, Taji turned around and fled from the house.

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

_'The pain . . . is excruciating . . . I can't take it . . . ' _

_Running through the night, the youkai fled through the city. Away from the life it known . . . driven by the blood running through it's veins it had no reasoning. No common sense as it sprinted from building to building. Fighting her sheer will was something it had never done before . . . and it was completely too easy. _

_'This . . . this demon. Why does . . . the pain . . .' _

Anda looked into the pool water. Brown eyes dulled by her fatigue, bags forming under her eyes as her bangs stuck to her face . . . she truly wasn't looking her best. She leaned down and stuck her finger into the water---watched as half her face rippled and was replaced by the face of a youkai . . .

_'It . . . it resembles me! This . . . am I not human? Am I a bloodthirsty beast?' _

She looked at her hands frantically. Looking back into the water was her regular reflection, and she ran a hand over her face as her eyes dulled even more. Kiyoshi was still sleeping and she snuck away when the pain became too much for her to bear. A rustle in the bushes caused her to turn around---and she was greeted by the site of a little girl. Hair extremely long---looking like somebody she knew yet she didn't, she couldn't help the feeling that she was here for a different purpose. "Please . . . what am I? Tell me . . . "

"What you see now . . . is only half of who you really are. You were brought here to learn who you truly are---to learn your purpose and defy the laws of fate."

"Defy the laws of fate? What are you talking about?"

"Your mother always did the impossible. She was a role model to millions of people . . . and now it's your turn. You must fulfill your destiny---and in turn, save his life."

Anda looked into the water again. There it was . . . the youkai that looked exactly like her. Was she . . . was she half human? Just exactly what did that mean? She looked human enough. When she transformed . . . if she was able to transform . . . would she hurt Kiyoshi? Would she hurt anyone? "I don't . . . I'm a monster."

The girl shook her head and giggled. "You will not return because you will learn the truth. You have a destiny to fulfill---and he will save your life only if you save his. Where there is darkness . . . there is light. The light fears the dark . . . as well as the dark fears the light. Once upon a time . . . there were two warriors. They fell deeply in love---both searching for the power to kill the other without them knowing. The darkness loved the mistress of light so much that he was willing to die for her . . . and she loved the darkness so much she was willing to die for him. In turn---they sealed each other's powers and their hearts formed into one. But now . . . for some reason the two hearts have separated and taken residence in two different beings. You can kill him, or save him. He can kill you . . . or save you."

Anda lookd baffled. "What are you talking about? Who has to kill who? Who are you?"

The little girl smiled and faded away. "I am a friend . . . of your mother."

* * *

**_8:88:888:88:8_**

* * *

**_A/N_**

_Sorry it is so short---enjoy! _


End file.
